See The Problem - On Sexual harassment in India

These so-called 'protectors of culture' never bother, nor even notice that wearing a pant and shirt was never "our tradition". When confronted, they say, its about convenience, no question of convenience/choice to the 'other gender' though!

It is time again to debate on the 'safety of women' in our society. With  # METOO campaign kicking off in India, an opportunity to revamp our workspaces and the social sphere has come. An overhaul of how we perceive gender is the need of the hour.
Not so long ago, it was okay to tease someone as being a 'Gay', it was okay to gossip about the perceived gay/lesbian couple in our classrooms/ workspaces. It was okay to taunt a boy to 'wear bangles' if he is not very bold or active. A girl is called 'boyish' if she is bold. We have mastered the art of assigning gender roles. Our social spaces continuously assign, manipulate gender roles in our minds so much so that we stopped noticing something as gender discrimination or sexual harassment. (Its okay if your boss compels you to go to dinner with him, come on, you look beautiful and you want your appraisal.)

Culture & Women :
(most of this is in South Indian context)
In social gatherings, people know how to judge your character by your looks. Many people calling themselves 'guardians of culture'  keep advising girls on what to wear, how to behave etc., They also use this advice to spread and fortify 'religious stereotyping and antagonism.

  " Along with advising you to wear a bindi, they add, without a bindi you look like a  Muslim or a Christian, to be a Hindu is to wear a bindi"

I never understand why should I not look like a Muslim or a Christian or the other way round?  Should I establish my Hindu identity (if at all I have one) by wearing something they want me to wear? And here comes the surprise!
These so-called protectors of culture never bother, nor even notice that wearing a pant and shirt was never "our tradition". When confronted, they say, its about convenience, no question/ choice to the
 'other gender'  though.
Family & Women :
 Read this story.
There is a family of 7 people - Mom, Dad, Grandparents, a girl and 2 boys. Girl being the eldest among them. Now see the rules in the family, obediently accepted and followed by everyone.

1. After having food, it is the duty of younger ones to clean the place and take those plates to wash area. By logic, boys must do this job, right?  The girl does it and people are okay with it. Here comes the trap. By young, they mean the youngest girl because the work is 'girly'.
2. Women of the house should not wear nighties/night dresses. Nighties is against our culture!      [Fun Fact: Boys/ Gentlemen don't have a culture, all they have is convenience. Remember!?]

Grandpa can name call his granddaughter when she is not wearing a bindi. [Shaming a little girl by saying she looks like a chudail (devil) or a widow is okay if it is to protect our culture]

Cinema and women :
We want our cinema to titillate us, entertain us by depicting heroism in 'stalking', 'teasing', 'name- calling'. Cinema is the biggest medium that sells stereotypes, misogyny, sexual crimes, violence etc.,
If they try to make a movie with some content in it, Chill bro! We are here to get offended by the
 "obscenity" of content.
Our hero stalks and teases heroine, understanding his love for her (or unable to bear him!?) she falls in love. She has to sing a song praising his masculinity and her vulnerability. This is love after all. What a masterpiece! Wah!
The paradox of Indian audience is, we get offended by kissing scenes on posters while we don't mind if a caste or a gender is overly exaggerated in a movie. A praise for 'moustache and thighs' of hero can drive us crazy!
What a loyal fan following!

#Time's up :
Enough of this drama. It's time we wake up. It's time we teach our kids what 'consent' means. It's time we learn what it means to recognise and respect gender rights. It's time we end making every argument possible to subordinate the other gender. It's time we teach our girls and boys to rise above 'shame', come out boldly to report on sexual harassment. It's time we teach our girls to say ' No' and our boys, 'No means No'. It's time we pledge our support to victims of harassment than embarrass them by asking proofs. It's time we become what our constitution makers envisioned us to be - Free, and equal society.

       "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter"

                                                         Martin Luther King, Jr