A SEQUEL TO # METOO?

ANOUSHKA SHANKAR MAY HAVE JUST SPARKED OFF ANOTHER BIG ONLINE CAMPAIGN BY MAKING A STRONG PERSONAL STATEMENT, ALONG WITH TAGGING SEVERAL OTHERS

The trend of using # ImDone has got a more purposeful spin around it, thanks to Anoushka Shankar. Just ahead of Women’s Day, the composer made a strong statement, while challenging other celebrities to join her in talking about what they are done with as far as gender inequality goes.

“I’m done with putting a laugh at the end of sentences I worry people will find difficult or unlikeable. I’m done with carrying the shame of men which belongs to them for their behaviour. I’m done with having relationships with men who are anything but proud and out and out complete feminists.

I’m done with any negative influences into the lives of my sons which will impact their ability to grow up to be feminist men in the future. I nominate other women to tell what they’re done with. Say it out. Loud & Proud. I’m Done,” exhorted the sitarist.

She then went on to nominate a few people to continue this challenge, such as actors Alyssa Milano, Kalki Koechlin and Priyanka Bose. Kalki was swift in her response, and made a hard- hitting video. She said, “I’m done with saving the species or saving the environment being some sort of a feminine responsibility. It’s a shared responsibility just as raising kids is a shared responsibility. I’m done with feminism being a feminine responsibility, I think equality of the sexes is a shared responsibility. I’m done with my consistent ‘ no’ being worn down by persistent ‘ whynots’, I’m done with giving a rational explanation to something that’s an instinctive emotional response. I’m done with complaining.” The challenge seems to be catching up, with Kalki nominating the likes of Tanmay Bhat, Farhan Akhtar and Sonam Kapoor to do the same. While Sonam just reposted Kalki’s message with a bicep emoji, the others are yet to respond.

Meanwhile, actress Priyanka Bose, who was also nominated by Anoushka, took on the challenge and captioned her Instagram video, “Here I am done with many things. If change starts from myself, so be it.” She went on to say, “I’m pretty much done making excuses about the fact that I cannot express myself the way I want to, I’m trying to embody sexuality in the most radiant way that I possibly can, and I’m done making excuses for the same. I’m done not valuing the support structure I have because my child is being raised by an equally capable, nurturing and a feminist father. I’m done with the responsibility that women are solely responsible for being the nurturer and the caregivers and men are the sole providers for the family. I am done making excuses for myself, and I want to live the life that I have so envisioned.”

Could Anoushka have started the next big # MeToo? Only time will tell.

“I’m done with having relationships with men who are anything but proud and out and out complete feminists” — ANOUSHKA SHANKAR