I will not be helpless
I’m trembling with rage.
I’ve just finished watching ‘No country for women’ which my friend Aparna shared with me on twitter. If you haven’t watched it yet, I suggest that you do. Right now.
I can give you a long list of reasons why Indian men behave this way. I can tell you that it will take a few generations to change. I won’t explain why you should try to change it, but if you’ve seen the video it’ll be hard for you to not try.
Often we see something that disturbs us and we hit a few likes or share it a few times. Hoping desperately that this will bring the change we want to see in our world. It works some times. But this time it will not. And I can say that with absolute certainty. India will not change any time soon. Its men will not stop treating a woman like a walking sex toy. Women will still be raped. Molested. Video-taped. Silenced. But, if you’ve watched this video, you’ll know you have to try. Now.
Here are three things I’m going to do, starting right now. Join me if you like.
1. I won’t let a *single* man get away with making me feel like a walking sex toy
Every man you let go of, gets more confident the second time.
If a stare is making you uncomfortable. Yell. He may not stop. Yell harder.
Be safe. But don’t be scared.
Be aware of your surroundings. But not of the so-called ‘weak’ness of your sex
2. I will tell men, who joke distastefully about women, to shut the fuck up
I realize that I sound like a kill-joy, but *stop* the rape jokes.
Stop that colleague in office who talks about how awesome it would be to have many ‘hot women’ in the team. We are not your evening entertainment. We are not chai pakoras.
Tell him to respect women or shut the fuck up.
I’m guilty for not always asking men to stop joking about things that are degrading to women. It gets harder in a professional environment where relationships need to be maintained.
But fuck that. Starting monday, if you try that around me, you’re getting an earful.
The words you use. The jokes you crack. They add up. And right now they’re stacked pretty high against women.
3. I won’t let my work disrespect women
There aren’t enough women in our offices. But the ones that are there need to stand up and be counted.
Don’t let such ads, films, videos be made. Not on your watch.
The decision may not be in your control. But voicing your opinion in those boardrooms is. You are not half as helpless as 90% of Indian women. Use your MBA and your big fancy designation. Use it!
I for one, will not watch helplessly. You can decide for yourself, but I desperately hope you choose action over practiced silence.
Update: No Country for Women has a facebook page you can join here
There was a time when yahoo chat rooms were ‘in’. a/s/l was the buzzword way before RT even existed.
Prenu coughed just like me.
