Guys you were born rich, not with silver spoon, but with something just as privileging as – A penis.
After all, the worldwide phenomenon of patriarchy exists because of the Almighty Penis.
The Penis. The Almighty Penis.
Now, some of you might wonder that I am talking of being sexist still highlighting the word ‘penis’ instead of a man.
I am sorry, but I am not really sorry.
It’s true. You have the Privileges to be a man simply because of your penis.
You have a voice louder than few people combined because we are historically still there.
We live in a patriarchal world. And I am writing things this crudely because I want you to reflect on it.
I don’t know who this is reaching. I don’t know if it reaches beyond my echo chamber to the masses who need to understand that there is always a limit to everything but, I would still like to warn –“Stop making those undesirable comments to every passing girl and calling them ‘Item’ or ‘Maal’.
We might not respond to this on the spot but, believe me if we start doing it then those hundreds of slaps at undesirable places are going to be painful!
I am not being feminist. I am just being me.
I am not writing the story of each girl in the city. I am just writing my story which unfortunately is every SECOND GENDER’S story.
I want you to crawl into a women’s skin for few minutes as you read this further.
I have been sexually molested several times- starting from 2nd class or 3rd (That is the earliest I remember) and here is the thing it’s not just the preying man on the road.
I have been sexually harassed by opportunistic uncles on the bus, a bus conductor, stalker when I was in college.
Stranger that stood next to me in metro- you have to understand how much energy I need to summon in order to write all this so publically.
My dear men reading this, I am not saying that you all are like this.
But I am saying that most of you don’t know the trauma that lies under this because you are privileged.
You are privileged if you can walk out of your room at 2 am to breathe under the clear sky without being worried of being sexually harassed.
You are privileged because you don’t have to be conscious of your clothes all the time
Is my cleavage visible? Are my bra straps peeping?
You guys might be afraid of robbing at late night walks but have you ever been afraid of being touched without consent?
We don’t just carry that fear with us but, now it sleeps under our pillow. This world no more feels like-‘twinkle- twinkle- little –star’, it has become fucking monstrous.
We’ve all had guys in our group, who’d casually make jibes, judge and joke.
Guys who’d talk big about gender equality but ask their girlfriends to wear longer skirts.
Guys who’d go for marches, holding candles, and the next moment cuss with abuses that revolve around mother/ sister.
Guys who are unaware of their inherent, layered and covert sexism. And it would enrage me! Their selective feminism boils my blood.
But, what is most important is that admitting privilege is taking charge of it.
Because having privilege isn’t just the fact to live with.
Rather it confers a sense of responsibility onto the person with privilege, responsibility to call out bullshit, whenever we hear or see it.
This can mean anything even not laughing at the sexist joke you hear. It won’t be easy but that’s how change happens.
