It’s 2017 And We Still Love To Take A Dig At Women Who Aren’t Draped Completely…

Recently film actresses Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Fatima Sana Shaikh were all ruthlessly criticized for their dressing sense. Why this obsession with women’s clothing?

All hell broke on social channels when Priyanka Chopra was spotted sitting, with her legs crossed, in some ‘inappropriate’ clothing (as described by some of our Twitteratis). However I thought the summery dress was quite beautiful. Deepika Padukone was shameslessly trolled for her photo shoot for Maxim. Also, the Dangal sensation Fatima Sana’s picture in a swimsuit was designated as vulgar. And of course haters didn’t forget to bring in the religious context for ‘breaching the moral conduct’ during the Ramadan month.

All these incidents aren’t new. Oftentimes there are such instances when women are slammed for their clothes.

Time and again, the self-claimed culture-protectors put together some false perceptions about women’s dressing styles. Gossip mongers always come up with the ‘decent’ ways women should dress up. Also body-hugging and any such short dresses are related with high-provocation value for rapes and sexual harassment. Let me conjure up the fact, “Why women are raped in rural India”, despite the fact that they are covered up with demure suit salwars and four-to-eight meter long sarees.

Ever since a girl grows up, she is dinned with all traditional beliefs and concepts about behaving and dressing appropriately. Beliefs such as: A salwar suit is both respectable and acceptable to the Indian psyche. You will definitely find a hundred eyes staring at a girl who has her legs barely covered. All hell on earth will break loose if girl doesn’t have her dupatta or stole. Get ready for those uncomfortable stares. The length of your skirt defines your moral character. Isn’t that absurd? Well, according to the typical Indian society, those in lingerie have the lowest set of moral standards.

What’s wrong in wearing short dresses? How could Sania Mirza smash tennis balls if she was dressed in a long three piece salwar suit (kameez, salwar and of course the dupatta)? Should she manage the tennis racquet or wear a long dress to show up as the brand ambassador of the Indian culture?

It’s high time we draw a close to such narrow beliefs. The way we take a jab at our women casts back the image of how we look at them. It would be much better if we would appreciate talent and all the achievements that help our women to become socially and financially independent.

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Most people judge women as their favourite pastime. My message to all those fault-finders, “Dear People, remember someone else may be busy judging your daughters, sisters, or mothers. So better play safe!”

Well, all the ‘respectable’ Indian masses need to know that it’s high time to change the long existing customary beliefs about women’s dressing styles. Wouldn’t it be better if we really think highly of women who have excelled in international arenas? Let’s not focus on women’s clothing but on the great heights our women have achieved in different domains. Everyone must come out to celebrate their success rather than bringing up different topics to mock at them. Stay low on moral policing, as women mean more than clothes.

Top image: The photoshoot that drew trolls on Deepika Padukone, courtesy Maxim India

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