- The Indian society is still in the grips of a misogynistic, patriarchal, and anachronistic mindset gets exemplified more often than not by incidents highlighting the same is a sad state of affairs bogging our nation. Inexplicably, incidents of male chauvinism coming to the fore across the cross-sections of Indian society despite the present-day world making giant strides to march ahead reflects poorly on our skewed priorities. Women continuing to be treated like second citizens is simply unfathomable even as the stakeholders like government authorities, civil society thinkers, activists, and NGOs exhort gender parity, equality, unbiased dispositions, and equitable respect on any given platform. Unfortunately, the reality on the ground is still far from acceptable.
PC: Vlad Makszimov
- Nonetheless, atrocities against women and girls on several fronts and forms continue to be perpetrated with impunity despite the successive governments attempting to introduce stringent laws to curb the menace. Sadly, not much has changed in the mindsets of male chauvinists resorting to uncivilized affronts on the other gender. You may be wondering what’s happening regardless of reams and reams having written on the matter for long. The sad tale of women enduring pain and embarrassment persists. Something must give in here as the brutalities against women cannot have any place whatsoever in the civilized world where increasing awareness about the need and necessity of the times should ensure level playing fields for both genders.
- Any sensible man/woman would have felt outraged at an incident recently reported from Kolkata, West Bengal. A professor at St Xavier’s University there has found herself losing her job over her swimsuit photos, which she posted on her private Instagram account, that too before taking up the job. She alleges that after a parent caught his son watching the photos, and complained to the university, the latter held a kangaroo court and forced her to resign. Needless to mention, the flagrant flouting of due process that appears to have taken place in this case, is a stark reminder of professional women’s vulnerability to peremptory moral policing. Did someone say a sense of entitlement pervades the male bastion? Indeed, it is the case.
PC: Zeeshan Javed
- And what did the university, the portal of learning with an emphasis on coeducation and respect for other gender do? In response to the professor’s legal notice for her forced resignation, the university has reportedly demanded a compensation of Rs 99 core for damage to its good name. While this staggering number doubles down on browbeating her, the critical matter of her fundamental right to privacy remains unaddressed. Not only should her life outside the university have been none of its business, but even the police also have not been of much help in finding out how her private photos were accessed and by whom. What should be done then? The professor who lost her job must get justice, and hopefully a speedy one. In the meanwhile, parents should earnestly impress upon/imbue virtues of gender parity on their respective children.
