This article was originally published on 30th December, 2018.
I don’t remember the last time I sat down and actually thought about thinking. Thinking before talking. Thinking before doing. Thinking before thinking. Thoughts just strike one’s mind and Ione should try one’s best to say what one wants to, do what one wants to and think what one wants to, but in an organised manner.
Once, I was watching a documentary, on rape. Somehow, I noticed (without thinking, obviously), that all the girls getting raped, in India, were shown as wearing “short” clothes.
It got me thinking whether wearing short clothes or being drunk has something to do with rapes. Were there chances of rapes being directly proportional to each decreasing inch of your skirt?
I asked my family and friends. According to them it contributed to attracting men’s attention to the wrong places at the wrong time.
I was pretty young during the time of this discussion. I blindly believed what the society around me believed (without thinking, obviously).
When I grew older and became a little bit more mature and aware, I decided to analyse the issue for myself. It became a hot topic, as the rapes were increasing. There were a lot of opinions.
The thinking (for the first time) did pay off!
I realised that wearing short clothes is a stigma in India. We believe that women wearing short clothes, or having alcohol, have an objectionable character.
And are asking for trouble. Therefore, we created a stereotype.
If I, today, being a girl, start believing that I want to wear short clothes but I won’t because the society I live in will judge and label my personality. This vicious cycle will never end. If we believe that it’s okay to wear what you want to and do what you want in the west, we will never be able to bring an end to this problem.
To put an end to this we need to sit and think. We need to stand up against it, to end it. To break a stigma you have to spread awareness. If you decide to go with the flow, do not crib. No one has ever achieved anything by whining, only.
If you decide to take an action against a stereotype, remember, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. There will be many people who wouldn’t accept your opinion but you have to stand strong and be patient.