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Women's empowerment is the new hot topic today. Actually, this has been the hot topic for decades now, with not enough change to be seen in the area.
Amidst news reports of rape, sexual assault and various other crimes against women, Vogue India has now come out with new video message on women empowerment, that seems to have taken social media by storm.
The video titled ‘My Choice’ features actress Deepika Padukone reiterating that her actions - socially acceptable or not - are her choice and hers alone. Directed by Cocktail and Finding Fanny maker, Homi Adajania, the two-minute long video is one of the many short films made as part of the #VogueEmpower campaign, Vogue India's social awareness initiative.
The black and white video features Padukone, along with 99 other prominent women from different walks of life. These include Nimrat Kaur, Adhuna Akhtar, Anupama Chopra, Scherezade Shroff, among others, Vogue India said.
While everyone raves over the video on my Facebook and Twitter timelines, I cannot help but wonder how much of a difference is it going to make? Yes, the monologue written by Kesri Khambatta is powerful and yes, a part of me does jump in triumph. If you ask me, yes, the video does make me feel empowered. But is feminism and women empowerment just about that?
The message, the tone - the video itself seems to have a sense of arrogance to it. While it is necessary to address the ‘narrow and caged’ mindset of society, right from one’s clothes to sexual choices, it is also important to draw a line and maintain a balance of some sorts.
What the video lacks in its basic essence is the fact that all these ‘empowered’ women talk about choices that would mostly be the concern of the urbanised population. Women empowerment is about lifting up women from every nook and corner of this country. While staying out till 4 a.m might be a privilege women in urban India demand, there are those in villages and tribes who aren't even allowed a say in whether they live or die.
Yes, Vogue is primarily an urban woman’s dream, hence it is understandable that their message is mainly targeted to urban India. But is it fair, for a campaign that says women are empowered by their choices - to focus on choices that can seem very trivial in nature. Even the portrayal of these strong women in the video fails to show the rural and tribal representation in an ‘empowered’ position. They come across as fleeting faces in background, with the sole aim of reaching the number 99.
Yes, patriarchy is prevalent in India and it is the women who need saving. But do we really need to be saved by putting men beneath us over and over again? Is feminism and empowerment only about being better than men?
" My pleasure may be your pain, my songs your noise, my order your anarchy, your sins my virtue. My choices are like my fingerprints. They make me unique." Another powerful line. But men have already been saying this for years. Are we trying to be like the men of our society, or are we trying to be different?
Feminism and empowerment has lost its essence and message over the years. This video, like many others is a strong proof of how misguided we are in our steps towards better society.
I am a woman and I do stand up and fight for my rights. I am glad that many others are doing that too. But this is feminism, not ‘femi-nazism’. Don’t blind yourself with the need for power, so much, that years later matriachy should become the face of oppression.
P.S: Vogue and Padukone should also realise that being lesbian, gay or bisexual is not a ‘choice’. It is something that you are born with. Do not portray it as a choice and do disservice to this community.
