CHENNAI: The International Women’s Day has just passed, and as always there were sloppy forwards on celebrating women and spa discounts for pampering them all. But this you already know, and may have indulged in earnestly too, whether it was wishing the women in your life a very Happy Women’s day. What you may have forgotten though, when you gave or accepted gifts to mark this day is the long history behind Women’s Day; a history that is anything but cute and cuddly, because what it was when it began was a strike and the birth of the movement that has fought hard for women’s social, political and economic rights.
A large part of our country’s twitterati forgot this too, as they were served tokenism on a platter and raced to name and tag women doing commendable work to take over the Prime Minister’s social media accounts for the day. It goes without saying that the winners of this prize, the women whose work will be showcased to millions, were picked long before the race was announced. #SheInspiresUs was the chosen hashtag, and following hundreds of recommendations seven women were given access to the Prime Minister’s official handle.
I had three problems with this public relations outing, and then my own dilemma about whether I could write about it without seeming like I am out to get the chosen women. Problem one is that not enough of us were able to see it for the grand but empty gesture it was. When hundreds of dissenting voices are being quashed across the country, when information from a state had been blocked for months, when the blood from the Delhi riots has not yet dried, when ‘normalcy’ and the economy are illusions, and when India is listed as one of the most dangerous countries for women in the world, and has failed in the Freedom Index, the handing out of the social media account to give voice to a few women is everything like a spa discount. It’s a sham that makes one thankful for having it but in hindsight only burns a hole in the pocket.They’re both the same because the spa (and the mother account) gets more mileage and applause for having the offer than the one who avails it.
Second is the reaction begotten by Licypriya Kangujam, the eight-year-old environmental activist from Manipur for choosing not to accept the invitation to take over the Prime Minister’s Twitter account. In a tweet she said, “Please don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen to my voice,” and this led to a Twitter war on whether a child as young as Licypriya could possible make a decision such as this by herself. I believe this arises from people’s inability to see children as wise or with opinion. Or it could simply mean that not enough of us are around young people who teach us everyday, or are willing to learn from them.
This brings me to my third problem, and my dilemma itself. But I first acknowledge that the chosen seven women are doing important, groundbreaking break and no critique takes away from that. It did disappoint me though that no trans, queer, or gender non-conforming women were on the list. It didn’t surprise me at all that no woman who challenges the status quo or asks uncomfortable questions of the administration were chosen. The dilemma is this: Could I have hoped that all the women would refuse the Prime Minister’s offer? Yes, that would’ve sent across a clear message of solidarity keeping in tune with what Women’s Day means — to not leave anyone behind. Do I hold it against the chosen women that they did not refuse? No, because I realise choices are hard to make, and the ones that are made must be respected. But can I be clear that it is the eight-year-old who inspires me most? Yes. Can I hope that we see a world, one in which we don’t need a man however powerful to give us a voice? Hell yes.
Archanaa Seker seker.archanaa@gmail.com