I swear, one of the most hilarious debacles that had to surface on the social media platforms in Sri Lanka must be the @notyourmalli Instagram page. It’s as though the biggest trollers on the net dug themselves out of their mother’s basement and decided to create ultimate division. But before I go on any further, a little background first.
We all refer to this politically instable volcano of an island to be paradise but there’s enough and more monsters hiding in the trenches that most civics of society has construed them to be the norm of life in Lanka Land. The @notyournangi.sl initiative has a legitimate purpose; one that consists of warding off rampant sexual harassment against women in multiple arenas of Sri Lankan life.
by @bundiboss
It really is attempting to make a permanent change in Sri Lanka by investing a lot of time and effort into spreading awareness.
It’s a pretty shitty thing to do by Instagram to take down the pre-existing page of @notyournangi.sl which had collectively garnered 6200+ followers.
So, on a personal note: Fuck you, Instagram.
Now we move on to the spastic part of this conversation. How does @notyourmalli play into all this?
If this is the first time you’re hearing about this then your first assumption would that this is a classic case of MRA (Men’s Rights Activism). But it’s a little more complex than that.
I mean way more, and really amusing, trust me on this.
Launching of the race track, I too assumed this and me being an egalitarian figured this was suitable approach to advocate for male’s rights activism in Sri Lanka. But after a closer look it became thoroughly confusing.
Whoever the fuck the admin is he (or she, you never know) proceeded to refer to every male person’s comments on their posts as “malli” as this was some proletariat brotherhood. It was easily revealed that this was a joke; a page created to flounder and extinguish whatever flames the @notyournangi.sl initiative managed to pose.
By mimicking the name and the logo, the “mallis” of this page had decided to take a giant piss on the good people at @notyournangi.sl like it was a toilet at the Borella bus-stand.
The confusion lied on the premise whether “mallis” were just “meme-ing”. As though they were using the name to poke fun and give a people some edgy humor. The “mallis” even had this to say in the comment section
“If you can take a dick, you can take a joke”
I mean, how edgy is that? This should end up on Pewdiepie’s Meme review.
But it becomes less humorous when realized that this is a parody of an actual serious situation that is alive and well in Lanka. Not only are they creating disparity in Social Media, they’re also demeaning true and pure fires that exist in our turbulent land of paradise.
For example:
Nowhere is it found the legal recognition of male victimization in rape in Sri Lanka. Relevant legal provision about the offense of rape is stated in Section 363 of the Penal Code, and it is postured as feminine victimization. If anything related to male rape occurred the only legal saviours are Section 345, 365, 365A and 365B of the penal code through which it is identified the offences of sexual harassment, unnatural offences, acts of gross indecency and grave sexual abuse respectively.
Those provisions fortunately recognize both male and female victims univocally. Yet, the gravity of above-mentioned offences is lesser when it is compared to gravity of the offense of rape in respect of nature, attitude, punishment and rehabilitation facilities.
There’s something men should be fighting in MRA. And, unfortunately issues like these will never come up if ridiculous third-grade morons surge the sparks of anger and create hostility on a stage that’s supposed to facilitate the voicing of opinions and problems.
There are plenty more biased laws against the favour of men. That is not to ignore the amount of social scrutiny women experience in Sri Lanka as well.
So, for the women who commented “men are privileged so they won’t understand feminine issues” (I’m paraphrasing, of course) in the comment sections of @notyourmalli’s Instagram; there is a loophole that can prove you wrong.
It’s unfair for the actual MRAs out there as well; those who are attempting to rectify actual and major disputes regarding Male Rights are degraded as well. It’ll be worldly assumed that the holistic approach for advocating for men’s rights, is just by fooling the fuck around on Instagram.
Hence, the whole foundation on which REAL men’s rights are built on reduces to rubble because of a few miscreants.
@notyourmalli is funny, let me say this.
But, if they’re attempting to ride the bandwagon on Sri Lankan meme pages then go for it; but change the name.
It’s disrespectful to @notyournangi.sl.
If they’re trying to actually advocate for men’s rights, go for it; but make it serious.
Different playing fields requires different catering if not it attracts the wrong type of attention.
Here’s a thought that I will leave with you:
Don’t be a dick, and gracefully give dick. If they don’t want the dick, put it back in your pants (gracefully of course).
