Anvita Datla Week 6

Why loiter? Radical possibilities for gendered dissent

Shilpa Phadke, Shilpa Ranade and Sameera Khan in the reading Why Loiter? Radical Possibilities for Gendered Dissent talk about the notions behind a woman’s safety and dangers that woman might have to face if they go beyond the boundaries that are set. There are boundaries on Various thing like going out, wearing certain clothes everything. Loitering around is considered problematic and a matter of concern but this is only the matter when it comes to women. A man who loiters around will be seen just as a Tapori and which makes him somewhat heroic but when a woman loiters around there is character assassination of the woman. The reading talks about how women doing something so normal as travelling in public transport are looked upon and how they are harassed by men as opposed to women who travel in their own private cars or loiter outside stores or in the malls. The authors Shilpa Phadke, Shilpa Ranade, and Sameera Khan talk about the gendered difference. We in our daily lives as well have seen discrimination made due to our gender. If a woman smokes or stays out till late at night she will be judged but if a man does the same he won’t be questioned or judged. 

The reading speaks about the same issue and problem faced by a woman whose every step is looked upon closely and judged but a man can do whatever he wants without having the fear of worrying about what others will say or think. 

Public Spaces and Everyday Lives: Gendered Encounters in the Metro City of Kolkata

The author Tanusree Paul talks about the importance of space and how it’s perceived not just as a medium waiting to be filled but instead portrays domination of power. The dynamic of space is gendered in complex ways rather than the binary terms of inside and outside, private and public etc. 

The author then shifts to the importance of having public spaces as it is a medium for the people to discuss various issues and communicate with each other. The importance of the public spaces draws attention to the importance of women to be a part of these to be able to have access to empowering information, to make informed decisions and choices. The author through various studies analyses why women are confined to the private sphere which showed that there are various reasons for this. Women avoid spaces with men moreover lower class men due to the a sense of unsafe feeling. Women are seen as taking over the household work and looking after children whereas men go to the office and work. There is also a distinction between married and unmarried woman. Married women are expected to come home after their work however unmarried women have a little more access to public space for leisure. All these studies show the inequalities women have to face and the unequal access they get due to societal pressures and gender constraints.