A few days back, a video was doing rounds on social media, a video of women who were visibly drunk was found in which they were hounding and even abusing a man who was standing by inside a Delhi Metro.
For many on social media, it was hard not to look at the incident through the prism of gender. Let us take a moment and see what are the repercussions when this incident is looked at from a gender perspective.
Selective Outrage?
To get drunk and misbehave publicly is condemnable irrespective of gender, but why selective outrage?
Perhaps, “a man allegedly molesting a woman” seems to generate more TRP than “a woman hurling abuses on a man”? Cases such as Rohtak Sisters and Jasleen Kaur strike the national headline and remain a week long subject of discussion for the prime-time debates on our television.
The media needs to be more responsible. They shouldn’t just make news out of someone’s Facebook status update(as seen in case of Jasleen Kaur case). Most importantly, the media must choose wisely which subjects to cover and which to not.
Do Women Need Empowerment?
We shouldn’t generalize ‘women’ here. While more and more urban women are growing independent and are privileged in some ways, the women from rural India and perhaps some from urban India also are far from being equal, empowered and independent. The stories of their rural hardships and battle with their life hardly reach to us except for the occasional stories that comes out via social media. Given the magnitude of the rural population, it is a fair conclusion to believe women do need empowerment, justice and upliftment.
The Matter Of Concern
Growing false cases of rapes, molestation, misuse of few gender biased laws, incidents such as Rohtak Sisters and Jasleen Kaur, are eventually generating negative sentiments for the women among the masses especially in the social media. Men and women are playing pivotal roles in the same. Women in India are in the midst of a transformation, a transformation towards gender equality and being independent. Videos and incidents like these run the risk of some opting out of the collective effort towards women empowerment.
Empowerment is as much an individual effort as it is a collective responsibility of the society, it is vital all are in sync, sensitive to the need of millions of women who are yet to be part of this empowerment or transformation.
Culture of generalization should end
Because of few men molesting or raping few women, let’s not call Delhi as The Rape Capital Of India. Similarly, if some women are seen misusing the laws, let’s not build a grudge towards women and women empowerment.
What can you do as an Individual?
Take small steps! Look around you, look within yourself. Assuming you are A Logical Indian, your friend may not be. May be he casually passes lewd comments to the women or may be she use to get drunk create a ruckus in the public. Ask your friends, not to do that. Ask your friends to become more responsible. The culprits are few, but for the safety of people and to avoid the risk of our country being branded as “unsafe”, act immediately and do not encourage the culture of disrespect and apathy towards any gender and people as a whole.
We need gender equal laws and women empowerment too
The Logical Indian community reiterates its wish and dream to see an equal and just society for men and women. Let us ensure equal rights for men and women. As a society, as we make huge strides towards equality, let us not let some irresponsible acts of few hinder the ultimate goal.