The very first thing when I enter my office is keep my bag on the table, hang my overcoat and switch on the computer. Before starting my actual work I like settling in and that happens by reading some news on Yahoo, Rediff and then BBC. I always am keen on knowing about the news in Asia. On Yahoo and Rediff these days it is all about our brand new PM, his strategies and so on. I was surfing I read two heinous crimes, first gang rape of 2 cousins and second - kids in Maharashtra bein sexually abused to an extent that if they refused to perform a sexual act were forced to eat dog's excreta. Isn't it shameful that India is till in a pool of dirt and crap! We aren't rising above these issues...December 2012 happened the sensational case of Nirbhaya. The stir, social awareness, unity and anger among the society was unseen before. I had some hopes and thought that this would be a signal for those creepy, sly guys with perverted minds lauding that 'watch out you perverted guys we won't let you do this again and if you still plan then run for your lives'. It clearly indicated that they will have to limit themselves from committing such horrific crimes but I am proved wrong! They commit the crime and kill the girls by hanging them on a tree. Doesn't this create fear, terror in the hearts of those who have seen those girls hanging? Who gave them the right to decide a fate for those girls? Well after Yahoo and Rediff, I read the Asia section of BBC and felt a pinch in my stomach to read about this gang rape and about the other unfortunate woman in Pakistan who was 'stoned to death'. Why does a woman have no rights to live life as her ownself? Why does she need an approval from the society for whatever she decides? Reading all this I am certainly convinced that Women in Asia aren't secure, are disrespected and are objects of sex only.
I have been reading a lot of fictional novels based on Royal families from England and France. Surprisingly I learnt that Women then too were objects of fun, pleasure basically used for trade, in short. Princess from England married to a Prince of France so that they have a peace treaty done under the name of this marriage. Princess of Italy married to Prince of France. The Princess from the Royal family was sent with a huge trousseau of extravagant apparels, jewelleries and not to mention lots of money to the Royal family where she is getting married in. This Princess who later becomes a Queen has to bore children and more appropriately warrior legitimate chidren whereas the King is free ti fkirt with anyone to produce bastards. The Queen has her own Confidants and very well knows about the numerous affairs of the King but has to bear all this in the name of the Royal Family. The history has been written by Men powerful and diplomatic where Women was always seen as an object for manipulation, trading with no voice of her own and was only looked as a system to prduce heir(s). The Indian history dates back to Rani Laxmibai who was married to a King who was more than double her age.
In short, I feel sad being an Indian Woman. I have a daughter and I admit that I feel insecure when I read such horrifying acts. Does this bother you? Don't we deserve a dignified status? Why we are looked as only an object who is weak? Sometimes I very well connect with Phoolan Devi and Sampat Pal. They did the right thing of being rebellious. It is high time that we should rise and stop this injustice...India has a bigger challenge of gender discrimination more than anything.
I feel relaxed after writing this post...at least it helped me to vent my discomfort but I am concerned and worried being a Woman who is unsafe and insecure in our Indian Society. Should we stop reading fairy tales to our daughters and stop making them dreamy, instead start making them stronger able to defend themselves emotionally and physically?
I have been reading a lot of fictional novels based on Royal families from England and France. Surprisingly I learnt that Women then too were objects of fun, pleasure basically used for trade, in short. Princess from England married to a Prince of France so that they have a peace treaty done under the name of this marriage. Princess of Italy married to Prince of France. The Princess from the Royal family was sent with a huge trousseau of extravagant apparels, jewelleries and not to mention lots of money to the Royal family where she is getting married in. This Princess who later becomes a Queen has to bore children and more appropriately warrior legitimate chidren whereas the King is free ti fkirt with anyone to produce bastards. The Queen has her own Confidants and very well knows about the numerous affairs of the King but has to bear all this in the name of the Royal Family. The history has been written by Men powerful and diplomatic where Women was always seen as an object for manipulation, trading with no voice of her own and was only looked as a system to prduce heir(s). The Indian history dates back to Rani Laxmibai who was married to a King who was more than double her age.
In short, I feel sad being an Indian Woman. I have a daughter and I admit that I feel insecure when I read such horrifying acts. Does this bother you? Don't we deserve a dignified status? Why we are looked as only an object who is weak? Sometimes I very well connect with Phoolan Devi and Sampat Pal. They did the right thing of being rebellious. It is high time that we should rise and stop this injustice...India has a bigger challenge of gender discrimination more than anything.
I feel relaxed after writing this post...at least it helped me to vent my discomfort but I am concerned and worried being a Woman who is unsafe and insecure in our Indian Society. Should we stop reading fairy tales to our daughters and stop making them dreamy, instead start making them stronger able to defend themselves emotionally and physically?
Trupti the perverted mentality that you mentioned so well in this post stems due to different reasons. There are many I can cite but as per me women usually never realise or are made to realise their worth in Indian society. Sexuality is a part of their identity not an identifier alone is very difficult to convey in general to Indian populace. A girl, a woman must know how to defend herself when faced with any dire situation but, if anything untoward happens, society has no right to discard her when they fail to even save her.
ReplyDeleteProbably you said it right...in proper words, Sexuality is not the lone indentiy of a Woman but unfortunately Woman has been looked at only for that. You know I am recently getting convinced that we need to train our girls in martial arts...this willboost their confidence levels and no one can take any disadvantage. There are enumerous reasons for such crimes and the space being limited I restricted myself. I am someone who doesn't completely blame the government or rely totally on the govt...it is us who has to do something..together a society can uproot such weeds.
DeleteDid anyone give a thought why these crimes happen in Asian countries more than in western? here girls are clad top to bottom, girls are not allowed to go out alone in dark, and there are thousands of rules n regulations for a girl. Still women are sexually abused and assaulted. I strongly feel these men are not afraid of the government and laws. first of all girls family wouldnot let the news out, if they did it would take years and imagine the condition of the girl in the society. Government should form new laws to punish the accused as and when they are caught.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jyotsna for dropping by and leaving a worthy comment. I really hope this new government brings in some strong law and orders which would favour Women in our Society. It is a viscious cycle in our society...a family of the victim is forced to disown the victim in order to be a part of the society, a society which is a hypocrite in its own strange ways....our Indian society needs a tremendous social reformation
DeleteThe crux of it is that the Nirbhaya murderers are still alive. Swift justice is the perfect deterrent to such things.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for dropping by and very rightly said. Isn't that encouraging pervert minds to commit such crimes? There is no awareness wrt human rights..basically no value for human life. The other horrendous piece of news was a TC on the train pushed a female out of train! What rights he had to do so?
DeleteOne thing that I forgot to mention was our politicians take on these heinous crimes. It seems shameful that we sometimes elect morons who are hellbent on proving women wrong to pacify their respective vote banks.
ReplyDeleteIndia is a mixed bag of confused people. We at present are confused between culture and progressive theory...and unfortunately Women carry the burden of culture by being 'cultured' (so called) and Men are progressive by attacking the culture. For Men it is like saare gunaah maaf! These politicians comment so that they can distract people but the bigger picture is people abroad know that India is unsafe for Women and there is no one doing anything to change the picture.
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