Getting angry is important: Nandita Das talks about #MeToo, in Goa

At a recently organised conference in Dona Paula, actors Nandita Das and Gabriella Wright, directors Ketan Mehta and Vijay Singh, social worker Belinda Bennet, and lawyer Vrinda Grover came together for a panel discussion on #Metoo And The Missing Conversation, where they discussed that the movement was only limited to a certain section of people, the backlash to it, and why women need to continue speaking up.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET ANGRY: NANDITA
“Why is there a silence in India?" asked Nandita, while referring to the response to the movement here, before adding, “There is silence about everything. We are self-censoring ourselves... and there is so much fear. We need more strength, especially for those who are most vulnerable. They all need our support in order to speak up.”
She added, “And instead of telling each one to speak up, you should constantly remind yourself that you need to speak up.”
“Getting angry is important,” emphasised Nandita. “When I talk of resistance, it’s of a different level, as compared to what the ones handling cases day in and day out are going through. When my crew talks to me in a certain way, I know why they do so. But the point is, I still don’t lash out, because to fight everyday is exhausting. We women are constantly negotiating with that. We women just skirt around it; smile through it, we don’t get angry about it.”
ARE WE READY FOR THE BACKLASH TO #METOO?
While speaking about the backlash to the movement, the actor said, “When something so powerful (#metoo) comes along, out in the open, there is a chance of a backlash. When you see a case of abuse on social media, and you tweet about it, suddenly you see a lot of trolls from male group saying ‘what about men being abused?’ and lashing out. Are we prepared for that? Do we know enough about it? Do we have enough strength collectively to get the flame going and handle the backlash? There will be voices that will dilute this flame. How many people really use the hashtag? Many people don’t know about the hashtag world. Only because they are not in Bollywood or Hollywood, doesn’t mean they don’t have stories. They have hundreds of stories to tell. We have shared small stories with a friend or a mother, or sisters; it’s just that it hasn’t been heard by anyone else.”
WOMEN ARE TALKING, BUT CAN THE INSTITUTIONS HEAR THEM?
Vrinda spoke about how the #MeToo conversation “has been happening for some time. Perhaps, at the subterrain level... more through whispers and conversation. It is being heard for the first time. The conversation has found resonance in law, and judicial expositions. However, there’s still hasn’t been enough conversation. Women are speaking, but not necessarily being heard, especially by institutions. An institutional hearing of this conversation is important because that’s where the systemic change happens. That’s when we move beyond outrage. This conversation has to be heard, understood and
spoken of. ”
When discussing how the #MeToo conversation could be carried forward, Gabriella Wright, a French-English actor, and activist with the UN, said, “The #metoo movement comes from deep trauma. When you experience shock and harassment over time, or physical violence, you get into that moment of shock and silence and you do not know how to communicate. It's about about translating that trauma into healing.”