Is it considered rude to stare ( especially at women ) in Poland?

I am a first generation Polish-Canadian, being that both sides of my family right up to my parents were born in Poland; my sister and I being the first generation born in Canada. I like to passively learn about the place where my family and genes come from so I often read about Poland and Polish culture online, hence my being here lol. Anyhow I recently read a blog that said people in Poland stare like no other, that it is not considered rude in any way and it is just a part of everyday life. If your walking funny for example, people will stare at you.

Because I am a sick, sick individual, my mind immediately jumps to the fairer sex (I'm a guy) and the implications of staring being commonplace. To finally get to the point of my question, say there is a particularly beautiful girl, or a girl wearing yoga pants, or even just a topless women, is it considered to rude to stare at her?

I only ask because in North America men and women are expected to be treated differently, as in the way you act around them. If I, as a Canadian was to stare at a magnificent posterior in tight pants I would be treated from then on as a creep/rapist/mentally handicapped. Does the same apply in the Land of the Poles? Is staring okay unless it is motivated by carnal desire, or would a girl just genuinely not care if I was to take a prolonged look at her chest/butt regions?

I realize this post in itself could be viewed as very creepy, but I'm genuinely curious as to the workings of this whole "staring is okay" thing that I have read about.

Thank you for your time and answers, any helpful response is much, much appreciated!

P.S. I also realize that everybody alive is different and everyone would not react the same in any given scenario, I'm looking more for an over-arching rule than a specific instance of one individual girl being offended. Thanks again :)

the blog writer was probably black that's why he got stared a lot, people in Poland often don't care if the foreigner likes being stared at or not but it is rude to stare in Poland in general.

Not nearly as rude as in most English speaking countries. I and many others I've spoken to noticed that right away. There's a thread on it somewhere here.

I guess you haven't been to the Carribean Islands

Actually I have. Though they tend not to have many crowded trams or tube carriages.

Not sure if it is considered rude but in my experience Polish people have a serious staring problem.

If it doesn't bother them it's not their problem, it's the problem of people being stared at :-)

The staring bugs the **** out of me. I try really hard to not let Polish-isms get to me but that one makes me insane. I finally started staring back or when people walk really close and listen in on my English conversation while walking with another American friend I stop and let them walk past. I know it is because we live in a small city with very few expats so English conversation is quite an oddity here but it is still annoying to be started at and followed like the circus freak.

Shamelessly peering inside your wallet or handbag when you open it is another thing here.

It is by no means rude to look at pretty woman.

As long as you do it discreetly.

No one stares at me hardly at all, ever. Unfortunately! And the only reason I say hardly at all is because I think an 80 year old grandma stared at me once after she heard me speak English.

However, if I were a 20something blonde babe or Brad Pitt, probably it'd be a different story.

Definitely you can't be caught staring or looking at people in the UK or the US. I noticed people stare at me in France once, but perhaps I had bits of croissant in my hair.