Reading this article about Myntra’s logo, I pondered, “Does it make sense? How is it derogatory for women?”
In fact, I appreciate the creativity of the designer, and don’t tell me that Myntra chose letter -M to signify this, it may be an opportunity they capitalised on but never promoted or bragged it.
For me, at least, I never noticed it till this morning.
Raised by an NGO activist, this complaint must have got over nerves of the company. Believing that such images will tarnish women’s image, objectify them and prevent their freedom is foolishness. In fact such news and complaints promote this very conservative belief.
Seeing anything for the first time excites people, makes them curious. Imagine why a boy from a small town ogle a girl from a metro city. That happens in the beginning, but when he lives in the metro everything becomes normal, as if normalcy always existed.
This is a normal tendency and happens with you, me and everybody, and here if such images become frequently visible to society then it can kill this conservative belief.
A belief of a society or a culture is never driven by extreme punishable acts like molestation and rape, but by such people who do not give equal rights to women in their daily lives. Ordinary people and women have that responsibility to change this situation in their households, only then can we kill it in the society. We, comfortably, blame offenders (of women and government) for this situation and inequality in gender. But let us look at our own Indian households-
Old ladies of 1980-90s never allowed their daughter-in-laws to step out from their homes.(I ignore 1-2% outliers) Forget home, ladies were to cover themselves from head to toe. And young girls or ladies did not object because it synced with their upbringing. This was a normal life for them.
Even today, a well-educated woman living in a nuclear family with husband would cover herself completely when she goes to her in-laws place. Some women can also deny by saying that they do it to respect them. I agree. Old people think their respect holds good if the women of their home cover herself from head to toe. I wonder how such people would have ogled Mahabharata women characters where none of them were seen covering their heads.
Today’s Myntra incident is another step of cementing such misogynistic belief. It is about a belief that this society of both men and women support. Changing this preconceived belief can kill this inequality.
Although, release of certain laws by government has helped this situation:
1) Equal property rights for daughter and son
2) Right to daughter to cremate their parents
3)Ban of Triple talaq
And needless to mention, initiatives by corporates have also helped to infuse gender equality.
Initiatives like women’s day is in craze these days may be because we believe that it supports feminism. It encourages women to come out from their shell, express and celebrate. But does it not also indicates that women will only have one day of their freedom and expression? Does that mean rest of the other days belong to men?
A potential solution: Either, we celebrate Men’s day to balance it, or we abolish Women’s Day.
At last, women have to play a greater role to claim their equality. They should not depend on men to do it. Muscle power is no more in vogue. All power lies in thoughts and its expression. Below image shows the same.
