NEW DELHI. Former Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) vice-president and social activist
Shehla Rashid
was trolled for covering her head at the launch of former IAS officer
Shah Faesal
’s party in
Srinagar on Sunday.
Shehla was labeled ‘regressive’, ‘a hypocrite’ and what not by nasty trolls.
Here’s how trolls attacked her:
It is extremely patriarchal and sexist to target women for their choice of clothes and/or headgear. It is not unknown that the world is unfair to women on many levels; they are trolled when they choose to dress bold, and they are not spared when they choose clothes that do not reveal.
Will these trolls issue a dress code that women must follow so that they are not at the receiving end of vile and chauvinist remarks every time they step out? Oh wait! These creatures might just say yes. It is important to remind them “Do not tell women what to do”, and that they are no one to dictate anything to women. What they choose to wear/not wear is their business.
Shehla has every right to wear what she is comfortable in.
To draw a parallel, no one seems to question say, an Assaduddin Owaisi, for donning a skull cap. Why? Because, patriarchy!
Men, in this world, can practically do whatever they want to and no one attacks their choices. It is women who bear the wrath of sexist trolls venting their life’s frustration on social media platforms.
This doesn’t mean all of those who are trolling Shehla are men. There are women at it too. Women who should have stood by Shehla and condemned those who are targeting her. If women don’t respect choices of their own brethren, how will men come to do so?
Some trolls accused Shehla of hypocrisy for calling out so called “regression” of
Hindu
culture -- women wearing ‘ghoonghat’ -- but doing the same as a Muslim woman.
Let’s be factual. What Shehla wore on her head cannot be technically called hijab. For the uninitiated,
hijab
is a veil that usually covers entire head and chest of women.
What Shehla wore was just a scarf. It was probably worn out of respect for the occasion or due to the cold weather in Srinagar. Or hell, she wore it because she wanted to!
But these trolls, filled with hatred, will not care about all this. They only want to pull an inspirational woman down.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.