I belong to a Human Rights NGO and am very active on social media. I also write blogs on socially relevant issues. After reading the article, my imagination ran riot.
I am no MCP and firmly believe both women and men should be treated as human beings first and not as different genders. Having said so, there is also truth in the fact that our social set up – parents, teachers and institutional heads are very averse to women working late hours or staying out late, especially in view of the situation prevalent in the country. India has been termed as the rape ‘Capital’ and when we hear of the innumerous cases of rapes and molestations; it is obvious that heads of institutions and parents are over concerned. While I strongly advocate gender equality, I also strongly feel, the Indian mindset has to change. It is not enough for women to stand up and protest for their rights, but it has to be complimented by support from the older generation. There has to be a mass uprising in support of the cause. Cases of rapes and molestation are very much prevalent in the West also, but there are no gags by heads of institutions or parents. I think such support need to be garnered in the Indian context also.
However modern the Indian society may think itself to be, the modernity restricts itself to only dressing patterns and the portrayal of sex and violence in films. The modernity has to trickle down to the grass roots level.
Though I advocate, gender equality, I am first an Indian and that too from South India where people are much more conservative. It is not enough if I preach gender equality just as other human rights activists do. The mindset of the first and second Indian generation has to change, or else the whole agenda would end up in mere rhetoric.
Let us work for this change first, let us treat the cause first, the effects will follow.
I by no means mean to belittle author of the article in any way, but whatever has been expressed above is my personal view point, because I love writing on social issues.
Jayakumar Achuthan