Are women bolder during carnival?
Over the years I have come to realize that carnival is a special place. So special in fact, that I have almost completely stopped partying outside of carnival or soca related activities despite hailing from the land of dancehall (heroes weekend being my exception).
One thing that makes this parallel universe called carnival so special is that as a guy the usual rules of a party are thrown right our the window.
In a normal fete you can expect a large round expanse in the dancefloor that stays empty unless the venue runs out of space and people have to fill it.
In a normal fete the vibes are quiet till the place fills up and people get a buzz
In a normal fete (from the distant memories of my single days) you have to resort to all sorts of gimmicks to get a girls attention then try to make small talk before you can simply get a dance.
Carnival is different.
Imagine a world where the early bounce of a fete has vibes.
The dancefloor is the FIRST part of the fete to fill up.
Where as a man you don’t need anything more than a smile and eye contact to go tek your wine.
But it’s even more than that.
In all my years and experiences, carnival (especially the road) is the only place where women seem comfortable being BOLD. They will come TAKE a wine from you. They will come ask to take a selfie or say “hi”
I’ve often wondered why.
I think it’s because carnival is a safe place where they can simply “let go”. The bold female is almost part and parcel of the carnival culture. Carnival is about many things but one of these is undeniably…. woman…. It’s a celebration of the beauty, sexuality and also the strength of the Caribbean woman. It’s fitting therefore that it’s also a safe place for women to buck the usual societal norms and enjoy themselves freely…. With no conditions, no repercussions, no labels.
This is just one aspect of what I think makes carnival one the greatest experiences you can take part in.
