I am so glad to about this awakening generation. A generation where people are not scared anymore to talk about Rapes, Abuse, Harassment, in public or with parents or with friends...We have become an open minded generation. More rapes are being talked about. It is nice. Supposed to be so.
I am an independent strong women. I have participated in the freedom/independence/billion rising marches with full sincerity. I have argued the right way with the wrong thoughts. Though, only last week, in the solace of my own thoughts I realized how much scared I was than brave. When one of my friend confided in me saying the protests have instilled more fear about safety, stopping her from stepping out after 8 PM. Only then I realized how much scared I was too. So scared, but not willing to accept that I named it a fight, used offence as a defense.
Scared that my heart skips a beat when I enter an empty road even during broad daylight. So scared that I put my GPS on even in a private travels bus. So scared that I checked a hotel booked by company ten times in google/just dial/make my trip wherever I could find information to ensure that it was not fake one.Scared enough that I do not have much arguments for my parents against the eternal "don't go alone". With so many writing about it, I can feel all the stares in room, more groping than before. Before, when I would just take it as way of life and ignore.
Yes, I am scared. Because I know those rapists have committed the brutal most crime and escaped. Previously they just escaped but now they escapevand everyone knows about it. Everyone knows that it is easy. Everyone knows that no one can be caught, that the ministers will always think Sita did wrong and that public speech dies. Scared because I know in front of that one thought, I would be helpless.
Also because for this generation, in a subtle way, gender sensitiveness has become funnier issue. Guys would make gender insensitive jokes like before. But now they would quote unquote with all the hand gestures, 'sorry we made a "gender sensitive" joke. Please don't mind'. Yes, that makes it so much better, thanks for the alms. It looks so much cool to talk about the issue without actually thinking about it or acting on it. Now, I am tired. No, I did not fight any battle at Jantar Mantar, but I am tired of this mental circus. Tired of the men around, tired of wanting to escape but only falling back in depressing web of justifying men and their actions and women and their importance, tired of being tagged feminist, tired of fighting the useless battle. Dear Men, grow up. We are not another specie but pretty much like you, only more human!
Any change has always created friction. If the cost of this change which promises to bring a better society is this friction then I am ready to face more. With a mere hope that in generations to come, humans would be treated as human and not categories. I gear myself for more challenges ahead.
Saraswati
I am an independent strong women. I have participated in the freedom/independence/billion rising marches with full sincerity. I have argued the right way with the wrong thoughts. Though, only last week, in the solace of my own thoughts I realized how much scared I was than brave. When one of my friend confided in me saying the protests have instilled more fear about safety, stopping her from stepping out after 8 PM. Only then I realized how much scared I was too. So scared, but not willing to accept that I named it a fight, used offence as a defense.
Scared that my heart skips a beat when I enter an empty road even during broad daylight. So scared that I put my GPS on even in a private travels bus. So scared that I checked a hotel booked by company ten times in google/just dial/make my trip wherever I could find information to ensure that it was not fake one.Scared enough that I do not have much arguments for my parents against the eternal "don't go alone". With so many writing about it, I can feel all the stares in room, more groping than before. Before, when I would just take it as way of life and ignore.
Yes, I am scared. Because I know those rapists have committed the brutal most crime and escaped. Previously they just escaped but now they escapevand everyone knows about it. Everyone knows that it is easy. Everyone knows that no one can be caught, that the ministers will always think Sita did wrong and that public speech dies. Scared because I know in front of that one thought, I would be helpless.
Also because for this generation, in a subtle way, gender sensitiveness has become funnier issue. Guys would make gender insensitive jokes like before. But now they would quote unquote with all the hand gestures, 'sorry we made a "gender sensitive" joke. Please don't mind'. Yes, that makes it so much better, thanks for the alms. It looks so much cool to talk about the issue without actually thinking about it or acting on it. Now, I am tired. No, I did not fight any battle at Jantar Mantar, but I am tired of this mental circus. Tired of the men around, tired of wanting to escape but only falling back in depressing web of justifying men and their actions and women and their importance, tired of being tagged feminist, tired of fighting the useless battle. Dear Men, grow up. We are not another specie but pretty much like you, only more human!
Any change has always created friction. If the cost of this change which promises to bring a better society is this friction then I am ready to face more. With a mere hope that in generations to come, humans would be treated as human and not categories. I gear myself for more challenges ahead.
Saraswati
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