She turned around and slapped him... hard on the face. “you should be ashamed of yourself!” she yelled at him. Mira, one of the other passengers on the crowded bus, wondered, ‘if only i had that much courage.’ She kept staring out, stone-faced, as she endured the middle-aged man leaning in on her... yet again.
Through this post i have tried to portray two faces of women - the active one and the passive one. The one who is not afraid to stand up for herself and Mira who has become numb. I wrote this post after reading about two events -
And you know what is the saddest part? it is the fact that it is the women that are doing this to other women. it's a mother who doesn't stand up for her unborn daughter. it is a woman who would make the one who is trying to raise her voice to shut up and let it pass.
I wish, hope and pray that soon, the active women take precedence over the passive one. I wish that women, all over, learn to say NO... to killing their daughters, to being eve-teased, to give dowry, to being molested!
Through this post i have tried to portray two faces of women - the active one and the passive one. The one who is not afraid to stand up for herself and Mira who has become numb. I wrote this post after reading about two events -
- SlutWalk - I don't know how many of you know about it but it's a protest (by women) that was started in Toronto against the remarks made by a policeman that women should stop dressing like 'sluts' to in order to stop being victimized. in other words, if a woman is wearing a skirt she is asking the opposite sex to come and molest her! outrageous, isn't it?! all the India women would give proof to the fact that it doesn't matter if you are wearing a skirt or a sari, you would be leered at, jeered at, made lewd comments at, touched, felt, whistled at, taunted... the same way.
- Today on the news i saw this piece about 9 female fetuses found in a drain in some district of Maharashtra. the more shocking information was that some locals had seen pigs and dogs eating them!
And you know what is the saddest part? it is the fact that it is the women that are doing this to other women. it's a mother who doesn't stand up for her unborn daughter. it is a woman who would make the one who is trying to raise her voice to shut up and let it pass.
I wish, hope and pray that soon, the active women take precedence over the passive one. I wish that women, all over, learn to say NO... to killing their daughters, to being eve-teased, to give dowry, to being molested!
prevention is better than cure
ReplyDeleteI read in this morning's newspaper that a 6 month-old child was sexually abused by an 18 year-old boy in Delhi. I've just written a blog on the issue of crime... at www.matheikal.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteWhat are you trying to say jidhu?
ReplyDeleteMatheikal - just another example of ghastly crimes being committed against women. sad.
wait a minute, in our society, how many of us, as mothers/ parents promote fairness/ equality in our own homes between boys and girls. The starting point is there to correct that perception in boys that they have to respect girls.
ReplyDeleteexactly my point mkeralam. it has to start with 'mothers'... they need to stop pampering their little boys more than their girls. Boys from their infancy get the idea that they are superior and are entitled to do whatever they please. The respect for women needs to begin at home.
ReplyDeleteRightfully said.
ReplyDeleteCheck out my post on an almost similar topic - Save The Girl Child
Megha, first time on your blog. It is very powerful. But let me tell you something- it is not so simple -blaming women for women's plight. It is a social system- we can call it " partriarchy" - a system that makes everyone internalize a certain role and position in society that makes this happen. Once again, let me tell you how much I enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteHi Megha,
ReplyDeleteI experienced such gender discrimination and it was disturbing to see it. I blogged about it in a post titled 'For the love of a boy'. May I link my post to this one? Thanks.
Hey there.
ReplyDelete1) As for the "slut walks" incident, I personally think it MUST BE totally up to women what they want to wear and I am totally against whatever that cop said.
BUT.
The practical point is, it does happen that way. It is sad and quiet grave. It is injustice to the fairer sex. But it is the way it is. And considering you as a fellow citizen and fellow blogger, I did suggest you the same. Half the men in our country are good, who would understand that a girl must be free to wear whatever she likes. But trust me, we can't help the other half.
IT MUST BE your choice when it comes to clothing (ideal case). but IT IS actually not so (practical observation).
Just spot the difference between MUST BE and IT IS. :)
As a male, I did love to see that, & hope someday the ideal case becomes practical one :)
In case you go along the tougher road, you would need this : http://www.4shared.com/document/Xq4_NZaY/women_safety_tips.html
"Apni suraksha apne haath" :)
2) As for the second incident. I really feel ashamed when I hear something like this. I don't know how people become "normal" after doing something like that. Sad.
Regards.
- Shivam Tiwari
(http://thoughtdetonation.blogspot.com)