The degree to which Pakistani women cover themselves is somehow often seen to be indicative of their character. In our country, if you do cover up pretty well and conform to certain societal expectations, aap shareef hain.
But if you don’t…?
However, when we criticize this aspect of our nation, we must remember that it’s pretty much the same everywhere.
If women are categorized as decent or indecent here, they’re categorized as either sluts or prudes in other places. Point yeh hai ke women don’t have it easy anywhere. Moral policing har jagah hai.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to how much freedom women enjoy in all these different nations. And isi freedom ki baat pe, a Twitter user shared the following tweet:
The tweet seems to draw a comparison between women in India and Pakistan. The comparison intended to show how women are free in India, as indicated by their apparel. On the flipside, Pakistani women are bound by law to cover up completely.
There’s a lot to process in this tweet.
Firstly, Indian women aren’t as free as we’d like to believe. India, though slightly progressive, still suffers from the same illnesses that plague its sister country, Pakistan. For instance, cases of domestic violence, rape and honor killing are reported widely in both countries. Dowry is still a huge issue. As is marrying a man you love. Or choosing to pursue further education.
And what do these have in common in both countries? Women.
Another aspect of this is the fact that covering up is seen as a sign of oppression.
Yes, some women do feel bound by religious guidelines and adhere to the law unwillingly. And some don’t. However, there are those who make a conscious choice to cover up. That, in itself, is an empowering decision.
There are multiple other facets to this as well. Which is why other Twitter users expressed their outrage over this tweet. Some chose to attack the Twitter user’s views:
While others tried to educate her, using examples:
However, Jeremy bhai ne dil jeet liya with the following tweet:
People soon started stepping in to thank him for the same.
And some vehemently agreed.
Others used his clarification to declare how their attire doesn’t bind them in any way.
While we’re all definitely grateful to Jeremy for stepping in, there’s a lot more to this debate than what meets the eye.
Again, whatever side of the debate you choose, it’s important to remember that these two pictures don’t necessarily give a comprehensive view of the larger scenario. A lot of factors come into play when we talk about freedom for women in any country. Khair, as far as the current debate goes, let us know what you think in the comments below.
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