Reading about Palash Sen's blatant, sexist remarks in IIT Bs fest mood indigo, reminded me of my own days and experiences that triggered me to become a feminist.
http://entertainment.in.msn.com/bollywood/palash-sen-in-soup-over-sexist-remarks#tscptmf
Nobody is born a feminist, we all become one after facing the world and seeing how biased it is against women, im pretty sure that if the same Bias was against men, All men would have become "Meninst" or some similar term. What is Feminism? the simple belief that Men and women are equal, and since we live in patriarchal societies, it translates into equal opportunities for both sexes. Unfortunately, how that is interpreted by most men is that they have to give up their power, for women to be given equal opportunities. Which in a way is true, Because women have all been suppressed by men in patriarchal societies for generations and men have been dominating over women, If women were treated as equal and had equal opportunities, then they will be perceived as a threat to men, everywhere, but especially in a Male dominated Areas. A lot of professions have been taken up by women, but most men try to discourage women from pursuing Traditionally Male- dominated Professions which involve heavy Physical work. But there is another Sphere where women haven't been allowed much progress- The Academia or centers of Higher Learning.Why is it that the hallowed portals of higher Education like IITs and IIMs have very few women? The answer lies in the 1st Statement of this Blog.
The Sexism.
When i had joined as a 1st year student in one of the best medical colleges in the country.I wasnt prepared for it. And it hits you, Slaps you and embarrasses you Till you either become immune to it or you start Fighting Against it or a combination of both, which is what happens to most girls-women (mind you, we were just 17-18 year olds). What happened? If you are a guy reading this, you will trivialize it or defend it saying its nothing personal. An SMS reading" 90% of the girls are beautiful, The rest of the 10% are in my class" is absolutely Derogatory in many ways.
It says that a women Should look beautiful and looks are everything
Why is the beauty of a woman being discussed and not that of a man?
What gives you a right to comment on somebody's beauty without their permission?What about your looks?, have you ever stopped and looked at yourself in the mirror to establish whether you are handsome or not?
This may be a minor incident, but it had a huge impact on my psyche, But there are so many incidences, Like the professor who looks at you inappropriately while explaining concepts, or the classmate who talks to your boobs, or the professor who will give a lecture on how women should, dress, act and behave, or all those insinuations that you wont be able to do justice to your work because you are a "woman".But such incidences happening everyday over a long period of time leave you disgusted with the System.
If you are one of those few women who has studied or are in an Institute of higher Learning, you probably have already faced all of this and more, And you either learn to live with it, laugh along with it or you start fighting it. Most intelligent women will do the latter, and it takes such a toll on your mental health that at some point you just give up. And that is the reason why there are such few women in Academia.
http://entertainment.in.msn.com/bollywood/palash-sen-in-soup-over-sexist-remarks#tscptmf
Nobody is born a feminist, we all become one after facing the world and seeing how biased it is against women, im pretty sure that if the same Bias was against men, All men would have become "Meninst" or some similar term. What is Feminism? the simple belief that Men and women are equal, and since we live in patriarchal societies, it translates into equal opportunities for both sexes. Unfortunately, how that is interpreted by most men is that they have to give up their power, for women to be given equal opportunities. Which in a way is true, Because women have all been suppressed by men in patriarchal societies for generations and men have been dominating over women, If women were treated as equal and had equal opportunities, then they will be perceived as a threat to men, everywhere, but especially in a Male dominated Areas. A lot of professions have been taken up by women, but most men try to discourage women from pursuing Traditionally Male- dominated Professions which involve heavy Physical work. But there is another Sphere where women haven't been allowed much progress- The Academia or centers of Higher Learning.Why is it that the hallowed portals of higher Education like IITs and IIMs have very few women? The answer lies in the 1st Statement of this Blog.
The Sexism.
When i had joined as a 1st year student in one of the best medical colleges in the country.I wasnt prepared for it. And it hits you, Slaps you and embarrasses you Till you either become immune to it or you start Fighting Against it or a combination of both, which is what happens to most girls-women (mind you, we were just 17-18 year olds). What happened? If you are a guy reading this, you will trivialize it or defend it saying its nothing personal. An SMS reading" 90% of the girls are beautiful, The rest of the 10% are in my class" is absolutely Derogatory in many ways.
It says that a women Should look beautiful and looks are everything
Why is the beauty of a woman being discussed and not that of a man?
What gives you a right to comment on somebody's beauty without their permission?What about your looks?, have you ever stopped and looked at yourself in the mirror to establish whether you are handsome or not?
This may be a minor incident, but it had a huge impact on my psyche, But there are so many incidences, Like the professor who looks at you inappropriately while explaining concepts, or the classmate who talks to your boobs, or the professor who will give a lecture on how women should, dress, act and behave, or all those insinuations that you wont be able to do justice to your work because you are a "woman".But such incidences happening everyday over a long period of time leave you disgusted with the System.
If you are one of those few women who has studied or are in an Institute of higher Learning, you probably have already faced all of this and more, And you either learn to live with it, laugh along with it or you start fighting it. Most intelligent women will do the latter, and it takes such a toll on your mental health that at some point you just give up. And that is the reason why there are such few women in Academia.
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