Famous Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone’s “My Body My Choice” video that has gone
viral these days has provoked my hibernated mind to think. This video was
released jointly by Deepika and director Homi Adajania in association with
Vogue India as part of their campaign on women's empowerment. But I feel that
the word “Women Empowerment” has lost
its real meaning amidst all the political and media attention these days. Best
example is this video
The video starts with Deepika saying “My Body, My Mind , My Choice”. This is not something that only women aspire for. Equal percentage of men also face situations questioning their decisions and even they feel like screaming out – It’s My Life, My Choice. This is a problem that the youth of India is facing – Youth of Both Genders. So how is it that we are representing injustice to only women in this tagline?
“It’s My Choice to
Marry or Not to Marry.” – To marry or
not to marry is a problem that not only girls but also guys face. I have
equal number of friends who are boys forced into marriage as are girls. I do agree
that choices on “whom to marry” given
to guys are more liberal than girls, but the choice “Not to Marry” is not given even to guys in our society.
“To have Sex before
marriage or outside the marriage, to not have sex, is my choice” - What
kind of women empowerment promotion is this? I do understand that the last
phrase “to not have sex” is a choice that's least granted to married women. I have heard from quite a few married
friends that its almost impossible to deny sex to their husbands when they don't feel like it. But cheating or adultery is not something one preaches to anyone. There is a thin line between exercising
ones freedom and trespassing someone else's. I don't say that people don't cheat on their spouses, but one does not advocate it as a right thing to do. This is like saying, To Rape or not, To Kill or not, is my choice.
I remember, during one of the sports drill back in school,
while practicing for March-past; our sports trainer had told - While
Marching, swing your arms and legs, with such discipline such that you don’t hit
your neighboring cadet. It depicts your freedom. You are free to do what you
like as long as you are not disturbing people near you. I am not advocating the
societal standards, if you have read my past posts; you would by now know that
I will be the last person to say – Follow the Societies standards blindly. What
I meant was, we don’t have the right to ruin someones life by our acts and cover
it up saying It’s my choice.
Currently, Women of our society have bigger problems of Domestic
violence, Rape/Incest, Child Abuse, Female Infanticide, Prostitution/Human Trafficking , Sexual Abuse/Harassment, Right to Education, Dowry, Gender
Policing and so on. We definitely don't have the privilege to provoke
the already men dominated society against freedom for women. If we allow people
like Deepika Padukone to be the representative of women in the society then I
am afraid how can we really achieve actual freedom for women.
This video is like proving to the so-called male dominated
society that women don't really understand the meaning of Freedom; and will
always need a man to show them the right direction. One of the videos created in response to Deepika's video, is a good response that clearly shows the flaws in the so called "Female Version". Unfortunately for us women, this clearly shows that Vogue's version was dumb.
Women like Deepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit etc... you should understand that you represent the elite class of women; Women who are educated, who can think, who are successful, who are looked up to by lakhs and crores of people. You should know the value of the power you carry and the care with which it should be exercised. You cannot just walk into the social media claiming a social cause and throw pranks like these videos.
Women like Deepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit etc... you should understand that you represent the elite class of women; Women who are educated, who can think, who are successful, who are looked up to by lakhs and crores of people. You should know the value of the power you carry and the care with which it should be exercised. You cannot just walk into the social media claiming a social cause and throw pranks like these videos.
Yes, It’s your Life, your Body, your Mind and your Choice. But not all of your choices
are correct for the entire society. So please don't try to make choices for my life!
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