‘Apology’ By Tarun Tahiliani Was Just More Gaslighting But Dr Cuterus Gives It Back

A new twist has come to the fore in Dr Tanaya’s body shaming case. Tarun Tahiliani issued a public apology, but it was further fuel on the fire, and she is not having it.

After Dr Cuterus posted on Instagram and Twitter about the body-shaming incident she had to endure at a Tarun Tahiliani store, the designer’s Instagram page issued a statement.

In the statement they have stated that their store was facing stock issues in several sizes, due to the COVID Pandemic, and that they did not have options in Dr. Tanaya’s size (going on to reveal her size, without her consent, in the process). The statement goes on to mention that they were not in a position to make new pieces at such short notice. It has also been mentioned that the designer’s team tried to contact Dr. Cuterus directly, but there was no response on her Instagram account.

After reading the statements of the designer, Dr. Tanaya posted her answers on her Instagram account. In the post, she has gone on to refute the claims made in the designer’s post. She has shown images of the email she sent to the store before even going there, in which she clearly mentions the size she was looking for.

Tarun Tahiliani’s ‘apology’ and explanation was just gaslighting

She goes on to say that the sole purpose of her previous post was to bring to light the episode of body shaming she faced in a particular store. She wanted people to break away from the image of the ‘perfect bride’ and move towards a better, more realistic mindset. The disinterest expressed by the store employees towards Dr. Cuterus was unacceptable.

Why are these stores focusing on judging their customer rather than focusing on making the experience as enjoyable and fun as possible? These changes need to come in the mindset of people rather than just one store.

What is disheartening to see is how easy and trivial it is for people to attempt to completely turn the narrative on its head. Trying to project that her displeasure was because she was unable to “find clothes in her size”, and that “the store was not able to create those clothes in the required size in time.”

This was not the case. The problem was the way the store staff looked at her and treated her, as if it was somehow a fault – her being a particular size.

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Also, publicly mentioning her size without taking Dr Tanaya’s express consent, was completely unacceptable on the designer’s part. For all the designer’s self-proclaimed “celebration of beauty that stems from diversity and inclusivity in all its forms”, they seem incredibly desperate to prove a woman wrong just for asking to not be body-shamed.

How long will we keep ignoring the body shaming that we keep having to endure?

When such discrimination can happen at the store of such a renowned designer, I am compelled to think how bad it must be for ordinary women shopping at regular stores.

How long will we keep ignoring the body shaming that we keep having to endure? Will we continue to accept this discrimination as some fault within ourselves? This is not the time to stay quiet, we need to come together and raise our voices against such discriminatory behaviour. Only then can we stop this from happening to ourselves and to others.

It is true that people talk about issues like body-shaming more openly today than they did before, especially public figures. We have come to expect them to set examples for society. It is therefore extremely important that they take the utmost care in choosing their employees, because their employees represent them. These public figures are responsible, therefore, for the way their employees speak and behave.

Such incidents that try to stop women from raising their voices against discrimination are tragic. Giving discounts on products on Women’s Day do not count. Women want the respect that is due to them.

Dr. Tanaya, your words have left a deep impression on our minds. More power to you.

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