BY KARISHMA RAI SHARMA
Saree/ Suit Salwar – Perfect “sanskari” girl, Crop top/Ripped jeans – “Shameless girl”, Short dresses – “Characterless”, “isi vajah se to rape hote hai”, “ladko ko dikhane ke liye phenti hai”. Most of the girls must have come across these lines whenever they go out. These are the character certificates that they get from the so-called people of society who don’t even care about them. I know most of my girls will relate to this.
DON’T BLAME HER
If a girl is wearing shorts and a boy ogles- where do you think the problem is ? The shorts or the mentality of the boy ? If it’s our choice of shorts then should men wear shorts ? Or is ogling also gender discriminatory.
All of us are wired in the same way. If you think women do not check out men then you are wrong. We check them out in measure. We don’t allow our emotions to get the better of us. Do you ever hear that a man was molested by a women because he was wearing a vest or shorts ?
If the answer is no then why should it not be vice versa. It is the mentality that needs a nudge. Sexualizing legs or arms should be gender neutral then , don’t you agree ?
Clothes & Rape
Sadly we live in a society where if a disgusting thing like rape happens people start blaming the girl. Her crime is the short dress. She wore it because she is asking to be raped. She wanted it ! Tell me something if we all wanted it do we need our clothes to convey that. All women have sexual needs, and we all know how to express it. We do not need to wear something to suggest our needs. This is not a game of let’s guess! Moreover, if we really wanted it, it would not be ‘ rape’ now would it .
No women gets up in the morning thinking what can I wear to get raped. Rather because of this sick mentality we get up thinking what we should not wear ! This should not be the case.
Mind you, women who wear saree’s and suits are also raped. Why does no one talk about this ? From children to elderly women we are all victims of lust. It all thus comes down to one thing – Mentality. Change your mentality not give out character certificates we say !
Empower Her !
Stop asking your sister to not wear a dress. Stop telling your daughter not to wear that top . Stop asking her to not buy shorts. Start teaching the men of our society to size their mentality. Making a girl confident in her choice of clothing empowers her. This is what makes her feel safe. This should be the norm. Whether it is a pyjama or shorts, a jeans or a dress – it should be her choice !
If you go by the assumption that shorts, dresses and western wear equal rape then thousands of women will be prey! Do not allow nosy aunties to give you a character certificate or that uncle to stare at your legs. If you are asked why you are wearing a sleeveless, ask them why the men continue to wear vests at home or shorts even !
The problem doesn’t exist in the size of your dress it exists in the size of their mentality. Lets be that change, encouraging women to wear whatever they like . To allow them to be judged by their caliber and morales .
SAY ‘NO’ TO CHARACTER CERTIFICATES !