Some men have many problems with women doing stuff. Little things, big things and sometimes just anything. And it’s not only just men, but sometimes even other women who have problems with other women doing stuff that they cannot or did not do. This is much more conspicuous in the Indian society since we have this moral code of conduct for women that was established somewhere around the time of the birth of Christ.
According to this code, which has not been revised since then, women only have to do things expected of them and taking the road less taken is considered an obvious sign of bad parenting and entirely too much freedom. A woman roaming with men is BAD, a woman talking to a group of men is BAD, a woman staying out late at night is BAD, a woman who dares to love is BAD, a woman who takes pleasure in life is BAD and a woman who has what one may term a ‘bad habit’ is definitely out of hand. Somebody control that woman!
One such problem that the Indian society has with women is that they smoke. Are you shocked too? Did you not know that some women do hold the stick of death between their fingers and gloriously inhale the waft of tobacco that helps them forget your lecherous stares and absolute disgust? Well then you too need to revise your morals (and general knowledge) to the 21st century edition.
Let’s face it, women do smoke. And there is nothing one can do about it. You know why? Because India still is a free country where people can still do what they want to with their own bodies. And this is not a new phenomenon, women have been smoking for hundreds of years and in some cultures, women actually smoke with their men from pipes attached to burning coals, water and tobacco.
So why are people today surprised to see a woman smoke?
Because they are taught so.
Men have observed that women of ‘good standing’ do not smoke or drink or get high in any way. It is just wrong. They are supposed to inhale only the smoke that emanates from the biryani they are cooking – in the kitchen – their rightful place!
It is disheartening to see that even people of this generation in India continue to feel this way about women. I’ve had some encounters with such people and although it is quite disgusting, my lady friends and I take great pleasure in scandalizing these people; makes for a great story over the next day’s ‘chai-sutta’ session.