Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
When our watchman also slut shamed the single young women - "chaar ladkiyon ke saath dus ladke bhi aa jayenge!" (If these women live here, tomorrow young men will come to their home!)
I have come across articles in newspapers and social media, about housing societies refusing to let single tenants in. There are boards stuck on quite a few gates, clearly voicing that, students, bachelors and single women aren’t allowed.
And I have always wondered, if every society comes up with such restrictions, where would these youngsters go?
Well, the residential society I reside in is pretty liberal. We have a few apartments rented out to bachelors, some working men and some students. Contrary to what we had always been warned against, we as residents seldom face any problems as far as the bachelors are concerned. There’s hardly any late-night party noise or drunken drama. They adhere to the policies laid down by the society and in fact, unlike many families, they don’t squabble, living a rather inconspicuous life.
All hell broke loose, however, when my next-door neighbour rented his flat to four young single women. Of course, he got consent from the building secretary, who posed no hassles as bachelors have been staying all the while. But where the young men were hardly noticed, the girls seem to have gained some ‘fame’ already.
And being the immediate neighbours, we happen to be at the receiving end of all cautionary advice.
It started with the watchman.
“Aapko bolna chahiye tha Madam, you shouldn’t have allowed this. Four young women, is our building some kind of a hostel? There’s no saying where all this would go, they’ll walk in late night and we have to stay awake for their security.” He lamented.
Shouldn’t he be awake all night, for everyone’s security, I wondered. But then I tried to make peace, “Bhaiyya, there are young boys too, they come late as well.”
“No Madam, these girls are pretty modern, they’ll drink, smoke and I’m telling you. Chaar Ladkiyon Ke Saath Dus Ladke Bhi Aa Jaaenge, they’ll soon bring boys to the apartment. You’ll be the first to bear the brunt.” He warned. Now, he hasn’t spoken to, or even met the girls, but then he promptly slut shames them.
It’s not him alone, there’s some kind of a hush hush disagreement going on. Few others have voiced concern too, it seems, there had been an incident long ago in the other wing, some girls had returned drunk, created a ruckus, sent away…
Sure, an abusive drunk Man is normal, but a Woman drinking alcohol is blasphemous.
It’s the twenty first century, we live in a modern society, but now I’m personally witnessing the discrimination. Girls returning late from work, enjoying a smoke, talking to boys, is somehow still a taboo, even amongst the educated and emancipated.
Well, the ladies have shifted here with their stuff and all’s well as of now. But I’m sure, when none of the residents ever bothered about the bachelors, the four spinsters would definitely and constantly be under the scanner.
Image source: a still from the movie Pink
read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address