Aurat March vs Our Two-Faced Society
8th March celebrated International Women’s Day throughout the world, but in Pakistan it took another turn when women from all walks of life decided to go out on streets as part of the “Aurat March”. This somehow ignited the entire society not as supporters but because most people believed that it was not the right way to put forward one’s reservations. Some labeled it as ‘Shameless”, while others were partially supportive because they understood the intention behind the entire process.
Rhetorics like we live in an Islamic country and majority of our population are Muslims; how Islam have given women all the rights were mostly used to tell women that what they did was wrong. How can they claim any further rights, when they are already given to them by Islam? But the very fragment of the society forgot that how many principles of Islam are actually being followed by the so-called Muslims in our beloved country Pakistan. Our current PM Imran Khan claims to turn Pakistan into Riyasat-e-Madina but no one from his party said anything in the National Assembly or KPK Assembly when Aurat March was being scrutinized and cannibalized by MMA Party members who claim to follow Islam and its principles.
Placards and banners were used to highlight some of the issues being faced by women, which were then turned into memes, ego-boasting posts and videos. Some were extremely worthless and stupid while others gave a way to many issues such as marital rape, taking consent, sexual harassment, sharing work together, etc., which are rather hushed and shushed because apparently they don’t happen in our country as we are a Muslim State — an illusion which have been burst down many times, yet we are not ready to accept it.
It’s not the Aurat March, which most people in our society are afraid of. They are afraid of the claims women have started to ask for. The rights which the state, our religion Islam and as humans women have.
Since the revive of rights, mostly men and some women in our society are traumatized by the “F” word, yes Feminism! They believe it is meant to destroy men, culture, values and societies. Either they are too naïve or just plain ignorant, the latter justify their behavior more. However, feminism is about equal rights for both genders, not one as part of our patriarchal system where men have all the rights and more, while women are made to suffer because of their gender and societal stereotypes.
Equality is about rights in life, be it social, political or personal. Unfortunately the lame slogans got more limelight than the actual issues being faced, which turned this Aurat March into a bashing event, afterwards. The fabric of society is made by how both men and women treat one another. If one treats the other as a third-class citizen majorly because of their gender, then there is definitely something wrong with that society.
Whether we want to accept our flaws and work on them, or chose to live the way we have been, it’s our choice. But if one gender is suppressed beyond their limits, then the only way for them to take a stand is by rising out, which is why Aurat March came into being. If a resolution can be passed against Aurat March, the same can also be done to curtail issues being faced by women in our country, which are fairly half the population.
To all those hate mongers and keyboard warriors, it’s very easy for you to sit behind your keyboard and type the worst things you could think of. But sorry to burst out your self-inflated-ego bubble, your OPINION don’t matter. Desi-liberals also need to understand the meaning of Feminism and should use it to raise the morale of the entire movement than their cheap tactics/slogans/posters to get likes and comments on their sorry for life Facebook and Twitter posts.
