I read two articles today in Times Life…one was titled, “Mighty opponents in a Hijab” and the other one was named “Off with her Tee”. I was mildly surprised with the content.
Here is the Link.
The reason I’m sharing these articles is quite simple. They talk about different facets of being a woman. One article talks about Iranian women, dressed from head-to-toe, with only their face and hands visible, playing a close-contact game like Kabbadi with their Indian counterparts, who effortlessly hop and snatch in shorts with the ease of a wild predator. The picture in the newspaper itself is so expressive. It speaks so much about the plight and oppression women face in countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and to some extent even India. The word ‘liberty’ is alien to them and they do as they are told by the government.
The other article was about the so-called infamous ‘FEMEN’ activists. Again the picture literally screamed a thousand words. When I first saw the picture, I was amazed by the audacity of the newspaper printing such pictures, topless Ukrainian girls with ‘crisis’ written against their breast. Then my mind told me to act matured and read the article. The article was just an interview, but it reflected so much more. The girls were there to create a difference, they were fearless of speculation and determined to be heard. That’s the reason why they opted for protesting topless, it grabs attention, and well it surely does!
I have a fear that I might be becoming a ‘feminist’. After all, all my blogs inevitably merge in one direction- women exploitation and distress. But reading this article came as a huge relief. It made me inhale a relaxed puff of air; women are definitely facing oppression in some or the other form and voicing opinion in their stand is not feminism, it’s called revolutionizing. Call me a female chauvinist, and I’ll be glad. Since my tender teenage years, I have felt both, disgust and infatuation, by women atrocities. If ever I could do something to uplift their status, that day would be like a nirvana for me!
Anyways let’s talk more about FEMEN (based in Ukraine, Russia). This group intrigues me, they display their assets, are stared upon by mobs, and they fight for women rights. Imagine, just standing in front of the Indian embassy, demanding non-biased visa policies, topless, with “I’m not a Prostitute” written on their chest, these girls have the nerves to shake the embassy. I’ve been at loggerheads with my mind deciding whether their methods of protesting are ethically acceptable. In response they say this is the best means of grabbing media attention and nailing the culprit. Well I have to agree. Peaceful protest request you to be patient, wait until you are heard and then wait further more until your demands are looked upon. On the contrary the FEMEN activists make sure they are heard the very instant their protest begins, that’s impactful. They are now termed as Russia’s topless warriors! (and yes, I’m smiling :-) )
From 2008 to the present day the group has fought against sex tourists, against the Putin government and for women rights. By 2017, they will muster enough support to launch women revolution in the female oppressed Ukraine. Some goal that is!
I was reading and researching more about this group when I came across another female activist, Sampat Devi, the queen and founder of ‘Gulabi gang’. Being a child bride, this lady has witnessed the harsh reality of Uttar-Pradesh that cinema or television can only try to depict. When she could take it no more, this ice-cream vendor’s wife established her own Ping gang, the members of which wear pink saris, and fire lathis on anyone acting acridly or harshly with women. These Pink vigilante women beat up corrupt officials, fight against child marriage, prevent domestic violence (by beating up husbands!) and provide grains to the under-nourished. These ladies are not exactly a group of male-bashing feminists – they are in fact 'female guardians'.
And these ladies are still under-cover, very few might have even heard about Sampat Devi or Anna Hutsol. What we might have definitely heard of, are names like, Anandi, or Pratigya or Ichcha….the women suffering in ‘reel’ life. But here are ladies who have seen harsher times in ‘real’ life. And they’ve given it all back to the world with a Bang. For me, these are my movie Heroes and my Anandi’s and my Pratigya's… these are my Leading Ladies…
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