Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Pink chaddi campaign is making me feel queasy and confused

1. Firstly, why are the chaddis PINK? Yes I ask this question even before I ask why 'chaddis'. Those even this much familiar with feminism or common sense, know that pink is not ALWAYS a colour of choice for women, it is IMPOSED on women. When we say pink, we automatically think baby pink. Fluffy, soft, delicate, sweet pink. We do not think of bringh magentas, we always think of pastels. because girls are supposed to be like that. Fluffy, pastel (mild not bright). Have we really NOT noticed that men wearing pink is SUCH a big deal. Depending on how evolved we are, we immidiately term the men 'metrosxuals' or 'faggots'. Don't we not. So PINK is obviously a statement. But is it a right statement?And this is NOT the first time pink has been used btw- http://www.utne.com/2003-03-01/ThinkPink.aspxandeven in India http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7068875.stm2. Why chaddis. Okay the inspiration was taken from a Burmese struggle. here is the reference: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080527/burma_embassy_080527/20080527. If we examine what happened in this struggle and why panties indeed were crucial for protesting is , quoting from this article is this "of Burma's military leaders. Human rights activists say the leaders believe that contact with women's underwear will sap them of their power. Women -- and by extension their clothing -- are considered inferior by powerful men in Burma, say campaign organizers."The women there were protesting about a very specefic superstition along with other issues. But what are we protesting against mainly? Moral policing and violence against women. How do our pink chaddis achieve this? Okay lets bring Valentine's day in this. So we do ADMIT that Valentine's day is all about pinkness and laciness and not so much about freedom to do what I want? And valentine's day is just a woman's pink domain, is it? what about the boyfriends/husbands/partners?You cannot ignore the SHOCK and SEXUAL undertones of this campaign and I wonder if that is what we need to communicate at all and even if so, why with pink chaddis?3. Giving Muthalik so much bhaav. From an ignorable sie kick he has become the Gulshan Grover of the indian rightist wing. Really? Why? 4. The attacks at Amnesia, MAngalore were FIRST and FOREMOST about violence. Why even make it a moral debate? There is NO morality here. THAT IS THE DEBATE THE BUGGERS want to START. This is THEIR AGENDA!!!!! It is not ours. Our agenda is VIOLENCE and UNCHEKED VIOLENCE first. and if a debate does seem so IMPORTANT, if a dialogue with them is so needed, then why answer their 'attention grabbing' tactics with ours? Mutahlk is far away, in Mangalore and so are his men. Have you changed the mindset of your boyfriend/partner/husband/male co worker/domestic help/friend and anyone at all? If we do KNOW that the solution to this is in long term change of minds, then why get into this 5 mins (or if it is India TV then one week) of media glare. Barkha Dutt will surely do a We the People, wearing pink salwaar kameez and gloat. and we can feel happy about this. Make him a hero instead of a petty criminal. It is really is OUR choice.Read this " The journalists in Karnataka had started to ignore him and his 3 page press releases cum 60 minute non-stop nonsense adress 5-6 years back. Muthalik used to make rounds of all newspaper offices and TV channels for a single column news and a 30 second air space. Not more than a dozen journalists (half of them non - working!) would attend his press conferences full of vitriolic attacks on other religions and modern fellow Hindus. and from the same blog post"A young, hep girl in Mumbai's Malabar hill to a high heeled chic in South Delhi .......... American English speaking member of a ' pink cheddi ' brigade on Bangalore's Brigade road to a helloji blonde at Chandigarh's 17 Sector ........... Muthalik is now on every lips.............. "Link to this blog post: http://www.desipundit.com/2009/02/10/who-made-muthalik/5. Lets not ignore the fact that even if do not admit it ourselves or our friends, this chaddi business has something to do with revulsion (even if no one is sending a USED one!). And that is also a patriarchal agenda, you cannot wish it away. I am NOT talking of 5 of you, you are so eveolved but the rest of us? So chaddi is NOT an intimate clothing any more is it? If it isn't how many of us send pink or any colour panties to our partners without feeling like OH MY GOD THIS IS A SCARY/BIG/KINKY/FUNNY BUT BIG thing? Why was Dev Paro exchange of nude pic such a big deal in this story. by big deal i don't mean how many news channels got hysterical about it (THANK GOD) but a big deal in the narration of the story. and Paro and Dev were sexually inclined towards each other!!!!So if its such a big deal, then before sending one, lets think what this pink chaddi means to me and what it means to send it to a criminal in Mangalore.as I mention in the title of this Note, I am confused and I feel queasy, I am not saying this is WRONG. At least this is a step. and a big step. and one that will not be so easily ignored but still....

2 Comments:

Blogger RKS said...

silbil - so you are a fan of Mujhe Chand Chahiye.

11:21 PM

 
Blogger wise donkey said...

silbil, regretting i came so late to ur blog:)
well said:)

1:03 AM

 

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