Almost every day brings with it a fresh tale of entrenched sexism, exploitation and mental and physical abuse of women as we unfold newspapers and turn on the internet. Each time, ugly patriarchy rears it head, there is outrage among millions of conscious Indians and it seems like we are getting ahead but another ugly incident just pushes us back several steps. Often victims of abuse, molestation and sexism are unable to speak out because they are scared, often there are several factors at stake and often there are jibes and taunts from society itself. No woman it seems, is exempt from the prevalent filth of sexism irrespective of the economic strata and social background we belong to.
This time it’s famous Indian actor Varalaxmi Sarathkumar who’s had to face harassment from a programming head of a leading TV channel. In whichever industry we may be in, harassment is becoming a part of life which we often accept and push past as we don’t see another alternative. As Varalaxmi Sarathkumar puts it,
“I certainly do not want to choose either option of ‘Put up with it or quit’. As a woman, I see only one choice. Resist and speak out. The important choices have to be presented to the men, ‘Either stop disrespecting women or GET OUT’.”
Though she could not name the perpetrator, she spoke out against the prevalent misogyny and sexism women have to go through on a daily basis. Take a look at the whole incident below:
This is just what we need. Shatter the shameful silence and step out of the shadows.