There is no doubt that India too needs a more comprehensive “me too” movement. It’s not just the incidents of rape that shock the nation every day but also the general attitude towards women that needs to be put under the microscope
During the period of two weeks I was travelling in the US, the internet and television news channels have been monopolized by the Kavanaugh revelations and while the eventual confirmation of his appointment to the highest bench in the land was almost a foregone conclusion, the acrimonious and politically polarized discussions has sparked off the “Me Too” debate in the country all over again. Women from multiple professions and every part of the US have joined the outcry against male predators and have found it important to speak about insults and incidents that they may have hidden for years but choose to air now.
Is there a change in the social consciousness of society in the West or is it just a sign of the times that the activist inside every person is coming out strongly against any form of bad behavior past or present? For people from India, some revelations about rampant improper behavior in college fraternities in the US come as a surprise. The abominable treatment that some women have been subjected to in their families, colleges and professional environments certainly sparked a discussion at a business school alumni party I attended in the US that our college life was quite tame in comparison, with none of the excesses against women that emerged during the Kavanaugh hearings being a norm in the better institutions of the country.
Let’s give an opportunity for every woman to shed all fears, choose the role they play at work and home and shine in every way possible! The women of India deserve nothing less and the country will be the better for it
Having said that, there is no doubt that India too needs a more comprehensive “me too” movement. It’s not just the incidents of rape that shock the nation every day but also the general attitude towards women that needs to be put under the microscope. There is a school of thought which believes that the atrocities against women are confined to certain part of the country and some sections of our society who have historically found it difficult to accept women having an equal right and status in society. But even readers of this column, who would no doubt believe that they are an enlightened lot should turn the spotlight deep into their soul and wonder if consciously or otherwise they do not occasionally indulge in actions and utterances which are contrary to these self-righteous beliefs. How often have I been invited to a party where the host adds a line “And please bring your wife with you.” I respond by saying “I will certainly tell her you invited her” but one does wonder why it is a man’s world in many minds where a spouse or partner should be “brought” to an event. Most of us today work and live in families where the women are achievers and outstanding individuals in their own right and it would set a very bad example for people who surround us including our own children and grandchildren if we do not grant every woman the right to their own mind, their own heart and their own preferences in the way they choose to live their lives.
And now let me tread on thin ice by touching on a related sensitive point. Speaking at the Gender and Diversity event of the Harvard Business School Research Center in India, I was fortunate to be on a panel with three super-achiever women, Rekha Menon, Anjali Bansal and Ipsita Dasgupta and the topic inevitably came up on sharing of responsibilities and the equal role of women in today and tomorrow’s world. Contrary to the belief of some, one of the panelists suggested that while she knew she was as competent and capable as any man, she still liked being treated as a woman with respect shown for her gender and was happy to take primary responsibility for her family, even if it meant working harder to be a great mother, wife and daughter in addition to being a super CEO. In most parts of India, it takes a rare woman to tell her family or husband that they need to take on their fair share of home responsibilities but for me, it takes an even more evolved woman to say “Hey, I like being a woman and you better not force me to be a man”. My own suggestion would be to celebrate every woman for who she is and let us not wheel in new stereotypes to replace the old. Let us build a better world where every individual, irrespective of gender, community or any other social divide has an opportunity to breathe free and be the best they can be!
So why do we need a “me too” movement? To ensure that we build a country where every man and indeed every woman truly believes in gender equality. We should not just abhor violent or derisive thoughts but also ensure that phrases like “better half” and “bring your wife too” are eliminated from our vocabulary altogether. This is the land where Goddesses like Kali, politicians like Indira Gandhi and industry leaders like Indira Nooyi and Anu Aga have been icons for many generations. Let’s give an opportunity for every woman to shed all fears, choose the role they play at work and home and shine in every way possible! The women of India deserve nothing less and the country will be the better for it.
Ganesh Natarajan
