Domestic violence, rape, years of moral policing, oppression and now harassment of women using social media as a platform. Women did not ask for much. Just equality it has been. This article does not even ask you to respect women. It is absolutely okay if you base your respect for people on what kind of person they are. But that does not mean that you are allowed to be disrespectful towards people who disapprove of your opinion. I emphasise, you’re not allowed!
There has been this one incident in the recent past that has really agonized me. One of my friends who’s a huge Justin Bieber fan shared a post depicting her love for Mr. Bieber. It was just that! Her favourite singer, her choice and its expression on social media! It had nothing to do with anybody else. But some people do not understand. Some guys started posting offending comments on my friend’s post. One of those comments said, “Another lesbian fan of Beiber.” Heights of preposterousness, right? Anyway, it did not stop here. I thought of talking to him. I somehow was under this misunderstanding that he will realize his mistake once I point it out to him. But, I was so wrong! As wrong as I could be! When I texted the guy he wasn’t guilty at all. There was not even a trace of shame in his replies. When I told him that not approving of somebody’s choices does not give him the liberty to post such comments, he replied with a, “I have the liberty.” And not just that, he also warned me not to object to such things unless it concerns my sister or my girlfriend. I could not tolerate anything more than this. So, I reported his comments and blocked him after which I also posted the screenshots of this conversation between us on social media. When the guy was informed about this action taken by me, he was forced to take down the comments which he had posted on the post shared by my friend.
I’m sharing this experience with Youth Ki Awaaz so that people who dare to do such things and use language conveying decayed thoughts understand that one should think before acting and speaking. Our words convey our thoughts and hence, must be utilised and not wasted. Because, tables can turn and the one you thought you could victimize may emerge stronger than you could ever imagine.
