Ram Janmabhoomi – Babri Masjid Dispute

#ChallengeNotAccepted

By Ananya Gulati

Recently a challenge started circulating worldwide where women share their photographs in black and white colour on their social media accounts, many women including celebrities quickly jumped on this bandwagon of showing solidarity, but is it effective or inclusive? The answer is a loud and clear ‘NO’, some people will be enraged when they read what I have written, as they should be. But this recent trend is at best pseudo-feminist, by sharing your own photographs are you really standing up for your gender, or feeding your own vanity. I have personally witnessed nearly all females I know participate in this challenge, linking it to a murder of Turkish women, but ask yourself- how are you helping those murdered women, will posting our photos end sexual assault, rapes, harassment at work places, gender pay inequality or any such issue?

Yes, I may come across as harsh but I am entitled to my own views, my own opinions. One of the reasons I am so enraged is some women who trample upon their own gender, who bring down other women by calling them names, criticising their actions to look better in their own eyes, who try to uplift themselves by trampling upon their own gender, upon their own friends are participating in this so called ‘challenge’, does this give credibility to this ‘movement’. Ask these questions yourselves.

The message that is sent read as follows- “ your turn: I was careful to choose who I think will meet the challenge, but above all who I know who shares this type of thinking, among women there are several criticisms; instead, we should take care of each other. We are beautiful the way we are. Post a photo in black and white alone, written “challenge accepted” and mention my name. Also mention the core reason of this cause in your own word (violence against Turkish women) identify 20 women to do the same in private. I chose you because you are beautiful, strong and incredible. Let’s love each other!”

At first glance it may seem innocuous, and your first impulse is what’s the harm in doing this, but it is guilting you to do it, your friend chose you, so many other people chose you and if you don't comply with these social norms, these people will think you are a bad feminist, you do not support other women, you are not against violence in turkey against women and most importantly those adjectives used above don’t apply to you. These were latent thoughts in my mind too but I ignore these and focus on the other issue at hand, its commendable that we support turkey in their fight against mistreatment of women but what about our own nation, how many of us have heard about domestic violence in our own families, social circles or our own neighbourhoods and chose to remain quiet- because it is their family matter and theirs to deal with, according to UN Women India is at 125^th rank on the Gender Inequality Index and 27 percent of women have experienced violence that includes sexual violence since they are 15, that amounts to 1 in every 3 women. And with the recent pandemic these figures are predicted to sky-rocket.

I am not against women standing up for each other, I am not against women spreading awareness but please know that a photograph does not equate to awareness, spread facts, challenge each other to share works of great women who challenged stereotypes, who have worked or are working towards ending gender violence, share about Malala Yousafzai, share about Alexandria Ocsai-Cortez, Indira Jaising, Justice Leila Seth, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and other women who have worked to uplift their gender.