The Principle of La Pleasure

La Pleasure Beach was the day I received my first lesson in Ghana's gender culture. As my friends and I walked on the beach, men harassed and grabbed at us. "I will lick you from head to toe," said a man as he stepped closer to me. "I will lick you all over." If they did not say inappropriate things, they were staring or following us. We all felt uncomfortable, but we were told that this is customary behavior by men. Women's bodies are basically fair game in Ghana. (No wonder the women stay inside.) The beach was like the market, but we were the ones on sale.