#MeToo, time we stood up for women
I’m all for the #MeToo movement that has taken us by storm and shaken up the Indian diaspora. Big names in Bollywood, journalism and politics are crumbling and falling off the pedestal and then I get to hear the two words that shrug off all responsibility, pata nahin (don’t know). But women, let me share a secret: It never is the man’s fault. It’s always ours.
It must have been your fault, you must have asked for it. They all just want the woman who accepts her fate. In fact, we should be thankful they are letting us breathe, I mean first you and I are allowed to be born, you weren’t aborted just because your chromosomes weren’t what they were looking or, then after they let you live, they spent money on education, they let you study in schools and colleges and so what if your education didn’t matter, it all depended if your husband let you work. This after a hefty dowry was paid to satisfy his ego and his family’s stature, then also along the way if someone teased or assaulted you, it must be your fault or you must have led him on as you were wearing a skirt, had shown cleavage or eaten chow mein!
It’s never the male’s fault. He just got carried away in a weak moment and was led astray. Women, it’s always our fault, never the man’s. We get labelled as feminists if we don’t listen or argue or voice an opinion. Don’t belittle us, don’t mock us, don’t make fun of us, treat us with dignity that is ours. Even nature is having her #MeToo moment by the number of calamities besieging the world at present.
In fact, the way the world is going, God is going to have the last laugh. Men can be ugly, obese, pimply, gangly with steroid-induced biceps, have a paunch, have pan-stained teeth, be dark or be fair. Yet they get the right to pick, stalk, abuse, throw acid or assault just because they are men. Women can be pursued, and advances can be made as she led them on by a certain mysterious act that is only known to him and makes her game play.
Please see the courage that a victim has to muster to voice her sordid story and relive what she went through. Spare her the indignity of a commission.
Justice delayed is justice denied. Don’t always treat us like sheep that can be herded off the cliff, as we only matter during the votes. Tweeting a picture of your daughter on girl child day or women’s day isn’t enough. Take the onus for what you are for we make society.
Someone shared this across the border (they have their #MeToo movement going on): “What did the parantha say when someone tried to hurt her feelings? Mein roti nahi hoon.”
WE GET LABELLED AS FEMINISTS IF WE DON’T LISTEN OR ARGUE OR VOICE AN OPINION. DON’T BELITTLE US, TREAT US WITH DIGNITY THAT IS OURS