Gauahar Khan, Obama daughters or Veena Malik: Slut-shaming of women must end

This week has been poignant, as far as womankind is concerned. More precisely, as far as certain people, and their views on certain women are concerned. The word "women" here is to be extended to include teenagers, too. Oh, and did we mention the teenagers in discussion happen to be the daughters of the world's most powerful man? But then, power is a temporary thing. Assholery and its effects are what overturn the diktat of time. They are perpetual. They last forever. From one Gauahar Khan, Malia and Sasha Obama to Veena Malik, slut-shaming is one form of assholery that we are yet to get over with. That we were forced to come face-to-face with, yet again.

Three incidents. Three extremely different social structures. One underlying mentality - a woman is to be "presentable" and "classy"; she is not to wear "indecent" clothes because she belongs to so-and-so . If she chooses to not stick to these certain yardsticks of presentability or decency that so-and-so person deems fit, she is to be slut-shamed. Verbally, in writing, via physical assault, or by slapping a punishment: the mode is inconsequential.

Scene One: November 2014, USA: The victims of the first kind of slut-shaming, by a woman - at that - an educated, supposedly liberated woman from the Far West, are Malia and Sasha Obama. Yes, the daughters of the same Obama who heads the most powerful nation in the world. This Elizabeth Lauten woman, whose post made her the Pole Star of Slut-Shamers United overnight, is a senior Republican aide in the US. She, apparently, was so moved by the Obama daughters' "attitude" at the Thanksgiving "pardon" ceremony that she took it upon herself to make sure that unlike the turkeys that their father freed, the daughters were not pardoned. Hence landed this super-shaming, super-scathing Facebook post from Lauten: "Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you’re both in those awful teen years, but you’re a part of the First Family, try showing a little class. At least respect the part you play. Then again your mother and father don’t respect their positions very much, or the nation for that matter, so I’m guessing you’re coming up a little short in the ‘good role model’ department. Nevertheless, stretch yourself. Rise to the occasion. Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar. And certainly don’t make faces during televised public events."

Last we checked, Lauten had deleted this post and issued an apology. And while social media exacted its own revenge, one does end up feeling a bit sad at the woman's foolishness. Yeah, you're criticising two teenagers, we understand, but sure you know who they are, no? And even if you did not know or understand who you were being this nasty to, asking two teenage girls - ANY girl - to dress classily or to not dress for a "spot at the bar" is so not your business.

Scene Two: November 2014, India: The second case is a lot more serious, and involves a person whose reflexes are totally deranged. There's absolutely no other explanation for an Akil Malik, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police yesterday. Reason? This particular gentleman took it upon himself to decide what is decent or indecent as far as women's clothes are concerned. So, at the finale of the reality show India's Raw Star, things got quite raw and ugly. The anchor, actor Gauahar Khan, was just about preparing to begin the show when an unidentified person from the audience began teasing her. When Khan protested, things got nasty, and the man apparently slapped her. The outfit that sparked this fire in this 24-year-old man was a shimmery silver-coloured one, one that all sane people would consider nothing apart from beautiful. When the man was being dragged away by the police, he apparently spoke about the cause of his outrage. "Gauahar is a Muslim and she should not wear indecent clothes" - that was the message. Plain, simple, clear. Gauahar is to be slapped for not covering herself from top to toe. As for the man, according to onlookers, he touched the actor inappropriately first, and then slapped her. No religious qualms in between him and his act there; no religious conscience to stop him there.

Scene Three: November 2014, Pakistan: The third case is even more baffling. Veena Malik, the Pakistani actress, was recently slapped with a 26-year-long imprisonment sentence and three million rupees in fine. Her crime? Malik had had the audacity to enact a wedding on a Pakistani TV show, with a "contemptuous qawwali" playing in the background, in the scene. In the past, this actress has had to face the ire of several religious zealots all across her country and India for wearing 'inappropriate clothes' or doing "inappropriate things". 

Across countries, classes, religions, genders, there's but one thing that has been a constant since time immemorial. The art of slut-shaming. While the developing and the underdeveloped countries have mostly been the worshipping ground for this art form, developed countries, too, are competing for a position in the Slut-Shamers' Club now. Exactly when the lease of this particular club runs out, is a matter which needs much pondering on. And introspection. And being able to take the anti-women glasses off the eyes. And some amount of dreaming of a utopia.