We teach biology, we teach math – why don't we teach sex?
Feminist activist and acclaimed playwright Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, spoke at the Times of India's Literary Carnival 2013. In Delhi to announce a second edition of her campaign, One Billion Rising, which started after 2012's December 16 Nirbhaya gang rape, Ensler spoke about homosexuality, sex education and violence against women in conflict zones – plus workplaces.
India's recriminalised homosexuality recently – how do countries where homosexuality is legal perform on gender rights as compared to others?
I don't have statistics on this – but i'd say cultures where society is homophobic indicate a dominant, aggressive, patriarchal mindset and a fear of difference, a fear of the feminine. Whenever that happens, you get a culture where homosexuals are abused, threatened and criminalised, seen as lowly. That begins to spread to everything – women, transsexuals and marginalised communities throughout.
Recent riots in Uttar Pradesh saw violence against women – can such acts be contained?
I think it's all connected to the same story – when people are starved, denied land, access to water, a way of life and a future, they become terrorised, shaken, shamed and self-hating. There's an escalation of rage and the need to prove they have dominance over somebody.
We have normalised sexual violence – we expect it. When clashes happen, it is the first thing. Women are on the frontline immediately.
But as we begin to build consciousness of equality and look at what economic injustice is across the world, we will begin to grow.
You were in India after the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape – can you feel changes here today?
Look, we're having this discussion! We're having these discussions all the time. I was at a discourse in a journalism university – it was full. No one could get in. I was at a discourse at a lawyers' collective – again, no one could get in. I saw my play performed at the Mumbai literary carnival. That was packed.
Laws have been passed, education is changing. People are talking about this in schools. I do think a lot more has to be done. Sex education is critical. My experience around the globe is people have no idea what sex is – nobody knows. They begin groping in the dark and end up frustrated and in sexual misery, which becomes a life pattern.
We teach biology, we teach math – why don't we teach sex? Why don't we teach people what appropriate touch is, what pleasure is, reciprocity and consent?
Even with high economic growth, India reported poor gender indicators. How can both be achieved?
Unless you're looking at the development, education and equality of women, there is no reason to think about developing society – it's impossible.
If you are destroying and raping women or selling girls into sexual slavery, you will not have a future. It's impossible. How we think about women and men coming together is what will determine our future.
Sexual harassmentinIndian workplaces is also being discussed now – despite educated workforces, why are workspaces unequal?
We have to look at why we believe women achieving, thriving and becoming autonomous is threatening to men, rather than complementary. It is when we reverse that framework and stop being threatened that men actually begin to see – wow, i am improved by her, she is improved by me.
Then we'll want to stop depressing women at the workplace and hear the brilliant ideas of women across the board.
December 16 marks the anniversary of the fateful day when our country saw the most shameful crime ever. Nirbhaya (the name she came to be called) was brutally gangraped by six men on a moving bus, then thrown off the vehicle and left to die. She fought a brave battle to survive, but in the end succumbed to her injuries on December 29, 2012. We salute her indomitable spirit with our Nirbhaya Tribute. Let's together strive to win this battle against injustice that she begun for us!
Author: Kim Arora
Image courtesy: BCCL
More On >> Nirbhaya Tribute
No comments:
Post a Comment