Vatsala Poddar Week 8

Week – 8

#MeToo In India – Huffington Post

The article brings highlights the common notions associated with the #MeToo movement. 'Naming and shaming' men and the whole agenda being called a witch hunt is the major criticism that it receives. 

The institute in the article did not investigate the professor as there was no official complaint, what me too does is give a platform for stories to actualise into official complains. Gradually we are trying to overcome this fear as more people contest that this is a plot of false allegations to fulfil a personal vendetta. Someone said that there should be more details than just an alleged harasser's name in the public domain, but I feel this takes away the right of women who want to stay anonymous for a number of reasons even if it is out of fear. 

Me Too is a movement, not a moment

Tarana Burke opens by saying that the movement was originally to fight for the dignity of the survivors and now the agenda has come a long way. What remains central is that it started conversations about closely held truths and gives every human has the right to walk through life with humanity. She talks about ‘numbness’ and how it is not always an absence of feelings but the possibility of it being an accumulation of thoughts that our mind avoids and the tears we restrict in our eyes.  This is something very personal for a victim and she beautifully explains how it is also difficult to feel numb! She speaks of power dynamics which is accompanied with the privilege and how this is the root cause of sexual violence. 

Since the movement has received severe backlash having been called the creator of a gender war, she says people say we must consider a person’s future. But what about the survivor? The act of harassment does not end with it, it carries along. She says this movement brings hope and possibility and honestly since the movement has taken shape in India – I feel there is a possibility and hope for the future. However, something that really strikes is this quote, “Nobody Should have to repeat our stories for your awareness”.