We’re ‘Sanskaari’ People In This Building, How Can We ‘Allow’ Single Young Women Tenants?

I have come across articles in newspapers and social media, about housing societies refusing to let single tenants in. There are boards stuck on quite a few gates, clearly voicing that, students, bachelors and single women aren’t allowed.

And I have always wondered, if every society comes up with such restrictions, where would these youngsters go?

I’ve found the youngsters pretty well behaved as a rule

Well, the residential society I reside in is pretty liberal. We have a few apartments rented out to bachelors, some working men and some students. Contrary to what we had always been warned against, we as residents seldom face any problems as far as the bachelors are concerned. There’s hardly any late-night party noise or drunken drama. They adhere to the policies laid down by the society and in fact, unlike many families, they don’t squabble, living a rather inconspicuous life.

And being the immediate neighbours, we happen to be at the receiving end of all cautionary advice.

‘Is our building some kind of a hostel?’

It started with the watchman.

“Aapko bolna chahiye tha Madam, you shouldn’t have allowed this. Four young women, is our building some kind of a hostel? There’s no saying where all this would go, they’ll walk in late night and we have to stay awake for their security.” He lamented.

Shouldn’t he be awake all night, for everyone’s security, I wondered. But then I tried to make peace, “Bhaiyya, there are young boys too, they come late as well.”

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“No Madam, these girls are pretty modern, they’ll drink, smoke and I’m telling you. Chaar Ladkiyon Ke Saath Dus Ladke Bhi Aa Jaaenge, they’ll soon bring boys to the apartment. You’ll be the first to bear the brunt.” He warned. Now, he hasn’t spoken to, or even met the girls, but then he promptly slut shames them.

The way they think and talk about the young women even today…

It’s not him alone, there’s some kind of a hush hush disagreement going on. Few others have voiced concern too, it seems, there had been an incident long ago in the other wing, some girls had returned drunk, created a ruckus, sent away…

Sure, an abusive drunk Man is normal, but a Woman drinking alcohol is blasphemous.

It’s the twenty first century, we live in a modern society, but now I’m personally witnessing the discrimination. Girls returning late from work, enjoying a smoke, talking to boys, is somehow still a taboo, even amongst the educated and emancipated.

Well, the ladies have shifted here with their stuff and all’s well as of now. But I’m sure, when none of the residents ever bothered about the bachelors, the four spinsters would definitely and constantly be under the scanner.

Image source: a still from the movie Pink

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