Your point is valid, asking for clarification isn't always rude. I think in this case though asking a perfect stranger on the street what their sex is pretty embarrasing and uncomfortable. I'll elaborate in part 2 also... I wish I could say this wasn't based on personal experience.

Also, I get that how he's dressed isn't that androgynous, but apparently high shorts and a small shoulder bag are enough to set people off.

In America, most Citizens would chafe and whine at being asked to carry a citizenship or passport with them at all times they are not in the house.

But in Germany we were required to carry our passports with us at all times we were not at home. Almost all men carried some sort of Man-Purse with them although most were small like a womens' clutch-purse.

I miss understood from the drawing, I thought the cat was whispering the question to the bird. With what you wrote, I can clearly see that the cat is calling it out, and that the bird is saying something sotto-voce and that the cat is cupping his paw to his mouth to make SURE the sound carries. All is clear, now. Na? Klar! Thanks for the explanation! awaiting more, pleez?

That's fine, people are bound to do stuff like that. I'm still gonna use my purse, though. :) I like its girlishness.