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The girls with short hair in the latest poster of 'Dangal' raise curiosity about the movie. Are short haired women perceived differently even today?
The girls with short hair in the latest poster of ‘Dangal’ have grabbed much attention. Are short haired women perceived differently even today?
The poster of Aamir Khan’s upcoming film ‘Dangal’ is the latest sensation on the Internet. The punch line “Mhari Chhoriyan Chhoro se kam hai ke” speaks volumes for the girls who appear on the poster posing in short hair-cut and t-shirts and the ‘don’t you dare’ kind of attitude in their eyes.
For an Indian woman, getting her hair cut short implies the compulsory raising of eyebrows by men and women alike. Despite all our achievements and success, getting a short hair-cut continues to be frowned upon. Women are encouraged to grow their hair long before their wedding and afterwards a married woman is not allowed to cut off her hair considering that this would be inauspicious.
Is it the particular hair-style that people despise or is it the mere action of getting the hair-cut or is it really a taboo for a woman?
It is a social imposition on woman that the length of her hair is being decided by others and not her. Perhaps the society is scared of the woman who has chopped off her hair. Perhaps a woman with short hair denied obeying the dictates of society, refused to be dominated and set her own rules for herself.
Perhaps she had an opinion and the world around her could not just suppress her voice. This was the probable reason that people raised eyebrows upon women with short hair-cut.
But then, times have changed. Pixie cut is in these days and women all over the world are getting it for themselves. I remember how one of my favourite teachers back at school with a short hair-cut was the first person to inspire me to study literature.
It was definitely her profound insight and wonderful literature classes that motivated me immensely, but her short hair added charm to her wonderful personality. Women with short hair essentially make a statement that is bold and courageous.
I do not seek to imply that women with long hair are not bold but that the length of hair for a woman is her own decision and she is not to be instructed or dictated in such personal matters as a hair-cut. A woman is bold by virtue of her own self, her decisions, opinions and her personal space must necessarily be respected without violation of any kind.
And as the poster of Dangal seems to imply: Our women are no less than men!
Image Source – Wikipedia
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In the same week where the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 11 May, saw a split decision on the constitutionality of the marital rape exception, another equally reactionary decision was handed by a divisional bench of the Supreme Court when they set aside the conviction and sentence of a man who had repeatedly raped his 14 year old niece
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