At last some clarity from the fairer sex about the "Slut Walk" they are so keen about. The writer is Vinita Dawra Nangia and she writes this article in Times of India.
To go around with tee-shirts claiming to be "Slut" is not becoming of Indian womanhood. Indian women have made progress in all sphere and have stood in for men in times of need and crisis. So, why this imitiation of a few women who want to call themselves, "Sluts" and thereby degrade themselves? They probably don't realise the meaning of the word. A search for its definition returns this on Google, "Slut or slattern is a pejorative term meaning an individual who is sexually promiscuous." So how can a woman who isn't promiscuous label herself as a "slut?" So do we title this walk as that of women who are promiscuous?
Feminism is okay by me. Women need to emerge from the dark ages into one of enlightenment and participation. I have worked and am working for some wonderful women bosses who don't lose their cool like men do. (Imagine, on the other hand, I have worked with so-called successful men who were absolute paranoid nervous wrecks and bigot. One used to count the number of switches on the office switchboard everyday and also get mad if the peon didn't wash his cup properly. Imagine, imagine!) I guess a Mamta Banerji, Jayalalitha, Sheila Dixit and an Indira Nooyi among others of the progressive women who are changing the paradigm in India wouldn't associate in any way with being called a slattern. So why should Indian women label themselves as such in a walk that is being planned in Delhi?
My problem with the slut walk is not related to woman being or not being promiscuous. They can be if they wish to. What is promiscuity anyway, its just a term to control women's sexuality. So yes, its a matter of personal freedom to have one two or multiple sex partner, or to dress skimpily and none of these should justify sexual violence.
ReplyDeleteIndian men have to this right of personal choice. Trouble with Slut Walk is that it doesn't serve this purpose for lack of a proper nomenclature. The minute we call it slut walk, a word not understood by majority of Indians, the campaign lots its purpose. It becomes a flash campaign without a context.
The word slut doesn't exist in our vocabulary so what are we reclaiming?
If you read further, John, what she is essentially saying is that any woman who wears a micro-mini or bustier is asking to be raped. I don't think she represents the fairer sex, and she certainly does not speak for me. She has completely missed the point of the protest, esepcially the original comment by the policeman.
ReplyDeleteBut then perhaps it is too much to expect sense from a woman who calls obscenely corrupt people like Jayalalitha progressive, but says that a woman wearing a tshirt with slut on it ( who is hurting no one but herself, mind you) is unbecoming.
Kavitha, agreed there are two sides to everything. Right now I am
ReplyDeletefloundering and muddle headed. Excuse me for my ambiguity.