Social considerations for solo female travelers
As a visitor to another country, you are up against customs that have been ingrained for centuries, if not millennia. You may have to deal with people that have been indoctrinated to view women as inferior. Many societies are patriarchal, and let’s face it: chauvinistic.
Make peace with what you can and can not change.
It’s unlikely that you will magically change anyone’s mind with your shining example of female capability and intelligence. Don’t waste your energy getting frustrated by the situation. What you can do, is be a gracious representation of female competence.
Whatever you encounter, remember that you are a guest in their country. So while differing customs may seem abrasive to you, consider the likelihood that you may unconsciously or mistakenly offend their customs at some point. Tolerance is important, and there is nothing like travel to teach it to you first hand, as uncomfortable as the lesson may be.
Let’s consider a specific social interaction you WILL encounter at some point: staring. Blatant staring is not considered rude in many parts of the world. So while it may make many westerners feel uncomfortable, it is likely coming from a place of curiosity rather than contempt. So be patient, and just ignore it, or have a little fun with it and wave back. Women with blond hair and blue eyes will have to put up with this a lot more than is fair, so be prepared for it and acknowledge that you look different than 98% of the rest of humanity.
At any point, if it comes to issues of your personal safety, do whatever you have to do. If you actually need help, go ahead and use their own prejudices against them in any way if that gets you safe again as quickly as possible. But the rest of the time try to be respectful.