Woke
Krishna Wagh
A young feminist’s journey to her feminist political awakening!
As a young woman from a relatively small town who had moved to Mumbai, I had been sufficiently warned by my parents about the different ways I may be harmed, ranging from not wearing open toe shoes in monsoon lest I get an infection to getting kidnapped in a taxi. My parents had never experienced “The Mumbai life” but were sure to watch crime patrol daily to alert me about anything from getting pickpocketed to sex trade. My experience in this city was severely limited and backed by parent-fed paranoia.
It took me 3 years in Mumbai before I could actually have a social life without the lingering fear of being kidnapped, raped or being sold into sex trafficking. I had started trusting the city because my adventures in Mumbai had not substantiated my fears. This was also the time when women’s safety issues were brought to the forefront by the mainstream media. The Delhi rape case was smacked into my face every time I ventured out. Women were getting vocal about the lack of safety and why shouldn’t they ? Finally, there was at least one gendered incident covered by the media which was gruesome, to say the least, to men and women alike.
The dialogue that took place within the socially aware strata of the society basically revolved around the state of women in the country and whom to blame for it. As it happened, the final allegations rested on the government. But is it entirely right for the government to be on the receiving side of the blame? Shouldn’t we address the issue of changing the mindset that men have… men who treat women like something that is disposable.
The Delhi rape case actively brought a discourse about feminism in India, not that it wasn’t present before. It was. But, now this discourse was happening on a larger scale and not just in a class full of women pursuing a course on gender and sexuality.
‘The centuries of subjugation, from sati to the glass ceiling; I felt the weight of injustice of it all in one incident.’
It was during this time that I felt myself getting confrontational about women rights and feminism. The centuries of subjugation, from sati to the glass ceiling; I felt the weight of injustice of it all in one incident. I started noticing little points in the mundane conversations with my friends which hinted at sexism and in some cases, it was outright gender discrimination. The discourse had brought out one important aspect…why is there a need for precautions to be taken by women while venturing out in a world where men have none?
A woman is required by this modern society to be educated, work at “reasonable time”, get married, have kids and fulfill all the gender roles assigned to her by the society or to face the judgments of the society . This was when I hadn’t even experienced a single instance of gender discrimination personally until that point. My opinions were largely based on secondary experiences which were formed through someone else’s lived experiences and still it hit me like a boulder.
What must the women in the weakest sections of society feel? Were they capable of accepting that they do not exist in this world to suffer incessantly? To be fair, men also have certain pressures thrust onto themselves by the society. Males have to ‘act like a man’, be the breadwinner in the household, and get married at certain age. But comparing the lived experiences of the two genders feels just like comparing two ants…one carrying a pebble and another carrying a boulder.
Just when the burden will be shared by men, alike?
About Our Writer: Krishna Wagh is a public policy and history enthusiast who ocassionally creates feminist memes gifs. She engages in gender rights advocacy and support for Krantikali. She graduated with Masters in Development Studies from TISS, Mumbai.
