When a strong woman is out in open to challenge the world mostly infested with a patriarchal mindset, it, in turn, tries to put her down by all means. I’ve seen and experienced it myself. But here we aren’t talking about me.
Indians, yesterday, made a sorry spectacle of themselves over the dress Priyanka chose to wear to meet PM Modi, in Berlin, during his Germany tour. The trolls pinned the dress as un-‘sanskari’.
I have purposely chosen here not to include any of the tweets whether for or against. Reason? People with a misogynistic mindset do not deserve a publicity. Yes, this too is a ‘different truth’ which may not go down well with the media governed by social media these days. But that’s another thing.
What we are talking about is an independent Indian woman who is making the country shine worldwide with her sincere grit, determination and talent. But just a choice of wearing a piece of cloth makes the people judge her otherwise.
‘Leg show’ in front of the Prime Minister? How ‘shameful’, frowned many!
She was advised to wear something sanskari like a sari.
The most popular and sought after Wikipedia, describes sari, “A sari, saree, or shari is a female garment from the Indian subcontinent that consists of a drape varying from five to nine yards (4.5 metres to 8 metres) in length and two to four feet (60 cm to 1.20 m) in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff.”
Ahem! So legs are meant to be hidden and the midriff to be exposed? Who decides that? The same society in which men wear dhotis, lungis and mundus as ‘sanskari’ attires?
So, does that mean these leg-showing menswear will now be undergoing transformation? Or does it mean that from the next time all the men who meet PM will be wearing dhoti-kurtas? Will the brilliant trolls enlighten me?
I really need to understand this ‘different truth’ from those who believe in it.
Meanwhile, the bindaas actor has given it back in style by uploading a picture of hers with her mother. And guess what? They both have bare legs? Why? Because a woman as free as a man to choose what she wears!
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