It's been several days since Vogue's My Choice ad featuring Deepika Padukone has gone viral. And ever since then I have observed that many of the politically correct citizens of our country, especially men, are losing their minds. Everyone is going bonkers, but why?
It's because Deepika Padukone has decided to align herself with an advertisement that articulates the right of women to have sex exactly when and with whom they feel like - before marriage or outside of marriage. Because she is in the ad, she is being viewed as expressing her approval for premarital sex and infidelity by women.
Let's go back to the last time Deepika's views on her body and sexuality made it to the news. Not so long ago she blasted a daily newspaper that had made front page national headlines out of her cleavage. Why was she so stupid? She should have understood that she is an actress, which is why men have the birth right to devour her body in whichever way they please to. It was idiotic on her part to pretend to be a sati savitri bharatiya nari defending her modesty when she clearly had signed up to perform quite another role. Isn't an actress supposed to forget phrases like respect, morality or dignity and accept herself as a cheap piece of meat? The fuss she had created could have been avoided if she had known her place.
"Isn't an actress supposed to forget phrases like respect, morality or dignity and accept herself as a cheap piece of meat? The fuss she had created could have been avoided if she had known her place."
However, even if the majority of men were thinking such thoughts, many of them (with a heavy heart no doubt) decided to adopt a politically correct line. Outpourings of support were tweeted and some went as far as to boycott the paper. They had to prove after all that times are changing and they are getting modern with each passing day.
The previous incident was still fresh in our minds when Deepika decided to strike again, this time stronger than ever with a clear message (even if it was through an ad). If you live under a rock and still haven't seen the video go watch it. Deepika intones a long list of a woman's rights and choices, few of them digestible by the actual sati savitribrigade of our country. What about our saintly men? They are all suffocating out there.
Even those of us from modern families are taught to preserve our virginity for our husbands. No matter who you are, what you are, your intact hymen is the real test of your character. No hymen is equal to no respect. Our society has long seemed to believe that the respect of our family lies in our vagina. Then how is it that an actress like Deepika decides to scream out loud that sex before marriage is her choice? Isn't she polluting the minds of our innocent girls?
"No matter who you are, what you are, your intact hymen is the real test of your character. No hymen is equal to no respect."
It's told to us time and again that "men are men," possessing the characteristics of a honeybee and having the freedom to pick the flower of their choice or fantasy -- no questions asked, no strings attached. On the other hand, a woman is assumed to be the bigger hearted one. She is supposed to be understanding enough to let-go the "mistakes" of her husband, her pati-parmeshwar. After all, he is taking care of her and giving her three square meals a day. Who is she? How can she dare to point a finger at her man?
It is not surprising for me to see another set of videos and articles from men and even gender equality activists trumpeting the fact that "this time they do not support Deepika," as if it was a huge favour from them to support her the last time. It is that Deepika has committed another crime by admitting that if men are allowed to embrace infidelity with much aplomb, why not her? After all it's her life, her choice, right?
But no! It's not as easy for her as she had thought. She forgot the underlying fact that men who can strike a balance between their wife and mistress are called studs but if a women dares to do the same she is called a slut. This is what I see is happening out there right now.
This movement, with Ms. Padukone as the poster child, is not only empowering but heartening as well. She has lent her voice to what should have been said a long time ago. It is but natural that the self-appointed caretakers of our society are frightened. And as I had always hoped, the macho-ism of our patriarchal society is now under some serious threat.
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It's because Deepika Padukone has decided to align herself with an advertisement that articulates the right of women to have sex exactly when and with whom they feel like - before marriage or outside of marriage. Because she is in the ad, she is being viewed as expressing her approval for premarital sex and infidelity by women.
Let's go back to the last time Deepika's views on her body and sexuality made it to the news. Not so long ago she blasted a daily newspaper that had made front page national headlines out of her cleavage. Why was she so stupid? She should have understood that she is an actress, which is why men have the birth right to devour her body in whichever way they please to. It was idiotic on her part to pretend to be a sati savitri bharatiya nari defending her modesty when she clearly had signed up to perform quite another role. Isn't an actress supposed to forget phrases like respect, morality or dignity and accept herself as a cheap piece of meat? The fuss she had created could have been avoided if she had known her place.
"Isn't an actress supposed to forget phrases like respect, morality or dignity and accept herself as a cheap piece of meat? The fuss she had created could have been avoided if she had known her place."
However, even if the majority of men were thinking such thoughts, many of them (with a heavy heart no doubt) decided to adopt a politically correct line. Outpourings of support were tweeted and some went as far as to boycott the paper. They had to prove after all that times are changing and they are getting modern with each passing day.
The previous incident was still fresh in our minds when Deepika decided to strike again, this time stronger than ever with a clear message (even if it was through an ad). If you live under a rock and still haven't seen the video go watch it. Deepika intones a long list of a woman's rights and choices, few of them digestible by the actual sati savitribrigade of our country. What about our saintly men? They are all suffocating out there.
Even those of us from modern families are taught to preserve our virginity for our husbands. No matter who you are, what you are, your intact hymen is the real test of your character. No hymen is equal to no respect. Our society has long seemed to believe that the respect of our family lies in our vagina. Then how is it that an actress like Deepika decides to scream out loud that sex before marriage is her choice? Isn't she polluting the minds of our innocent girls?
"No matter who you are, what you are, your intact hymen is the real test of your character. No hymen is equal to no respect."
It's told to us time and again that "men are men," possessing the characteristics of a honeybee and having the freedom to pick the flower of their choice or fantasy -- no questions asked, no strings attached. On the other hand, a woman is assumed to be the bigger hearted one. She is supposed to be understanding enough to let-go the "mistakes" of her husband, her pati-parmeshwar. After all, he is taking care of her and giving her three square meals a day. Who is she? How can she dare to point a finger at her man?
It is not surprising for me to see another set of videos and articles from men and even gender equality activists trumpeting the fact that "this time they do not support Deepika," as if it was a huge favour from them to support her the last time. It is that Deepika has committed another crime by admitting that if men are allowed to embrace infidelity with much aplomb, why not her? After all it's her life, her choice, right?
But no! It's not as easy for her as she had thought. She forgot the underlying fact that men who can strike a balance between their wife and mistress are called studs but if a women dares to do the same she is called a slut. This is what I see is happening out there right now.
This movement, with Ms. Padukone as the poster child, is not only empowering but heartening as well. She has lent her voice to what should have been said a long time ago. It is but natural that the self-appointed caretakers of our society are frightened. And as I had always hoped, the macho-ism of our patriarchal society is now under some serious threat.
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