Don’t fret about what people say, do it your way

hold a simple wedding ceremony instead of an elaborate affair are called “miserly”.

This trend of labelling people is universal. A father changing his baby’s diaper is instantly branded as “henpecked”.

A stranger passing a warm smile is looked upon with suspicion, and dubbed “lascivious”. A middle-aged woman sporting a bright hue of lipstick is smirked at, and called “unchaste”. A woman voicing her opinion is “too dominating”, just like a diplomatic woman is considered “too clever”. This habit of labelling transcends gender, and afflicts both men and women alike. No one is spared.

The only way to confront this constant labeling is to confidently sway like an elephant, while the dogs bark, and continue to do what you truly believe in. It is not possible to please everyone at the same time. There will always be someone somewhere who disapproves. It is important to have the conviction and the power to differentiate the right from the wrong; the honourable from dishonourable; the egalitarian from the chauvinist; and politeness from lechery.

A genius of our times, thespian and lyricist Piyush Mishra is spot on when he says,

A STRANGER PASSING A WARM SMILE IS DUBBED “LASCIVIOUS”. A MIDDLEAGED WOMAN SPORTING A BRIGHT HUE OF LIPSTICK IS SMIRKED AT, AND CALLED “UNCHASTE”

(Man should be right in his own eyes; people will find fault even in God).