Veteran Feminist Kamla Bhasin Reciting This #meToo Poem – Salute!

Noted feminist Kamla Bhasin gives us a rousing and concise view of what the #meToo movement means for so many of us. Listen!

I am a woman. And I can tell you that being a woman is not easy. In fact, any woman can tell you that. We plan excessively about our every move of ours. In fact, we have to plan our actions meticulously so that this patriarchal society does not strangulate us. We have 101 things to keep in mind, whether it is what clothes to wear, what time of the day to go out, or whether or not to use public transport. This is the gift of our patriarchal society.

The #meToo movement in India has cropped up as a platform for women to speak up about the atrocities they have faced at the hands of power-hungry men. The normalcy of sexual harassment had to break and finally, we can see some cracks in the societal structures.

Listening to Kamala Bhasin recite her poetry made me understand the importance of the movement. Her words show the kind of impact that the movement can have. It also made me realize the potential of the movement to bring about a change in society. For ages, women’s voices have been suppressed and finally, there is a movement where we can talk about our experiences.

In her poem, she talks about how women all this time were quiet about their experiences due to the prevalent taboo around the issue of sexual harassment. Now the hidden truth has come out and women are fighting for their rights.

She has compared the eruption of these voices to volcanic lava which is quite the symbolism for annihilation as it destroys everything that comes along its path. Me too is that movement which has the potential to help women find their lost voices. It is high time the people understand the meaning of personal space and importance of a woman’s ‘NO’.

It is due to the lack of understanding of these terms that men have done what they pleased without any repercussions. Men now need to be answerable for their actions – and #meToo is the movement we were all waiting for.

As Kamala Bhasin puts it, “Zurmi ko benakab kar bahar le ana hai Me too” (#meToo is about unmasking the culprits and revealing them for what they are).

Manjulika Chellappan

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