The Pink Chaddi (Underwear) Campaign
Indians outraged at an attack on women for drinking in a bar have gathered together to send a provocative gift of underwear to right-wing activists
I think this is a brilliant idea, and will gain tons more publicity than a simple old protest march, scandalising those horrible buggers out of their sad little self-righteous, legalistic, male-chauvenistic, fucked up little minds.
Read about what a pathetic little right-wing group giving itself the fancy title of the 'Sri Rama Sena' (which means the Army of Lord Rama) did a week or two ago, and be angry like me.
For those of you who want a summary, here's the low-down...a bunch of thugs attacked and beat up a group of women coming out of a bar in Mangalore. Why? Because apparently, it is 'not acceptable' for Indian women to a) drink or b) go to bars or pubs. The point in question here is not the usual 'drinking is bad' routine that pops up here and there all over the world. Nono, drinking is fine, bars are fine, it's just that for an INDIAN woman to go to a bar and have a drink is disgraceful and very, very bad. *nods sagely*
WTF?!?!
This attack was CAUGHT ON VIDEO fortunately, and aired on national television, effectively pissing off tons of people. And giving this previously little-known group a lot of bad publicity, obviously. The worst part is, Pramod Mutalik, the leader of the group, insists that 'what his men did was right' and most justifiable because apparently they were 'preserving Indian culture and moral values.'
Again I say: WTF?!?!
The video, which has been incorporated into the online news articles I linked to, shows the men chasing and beating up the women, and even kicking the ones that fell down. HOW IN THE HELL IS THIS PRESERVING INDIAN CULTURE AND MORAL VALUES? Is it right or moral to knock a woman onto the ground and then kick her? Isn't Indian culture 'traditionally' supposed to shower respect and adulation onto women, as mothers of life? (Not that this actually happens, but if we're talking 'culture' here...)
There is so much I want to say that my brain is hurting. Argh. Just. ARGH.
This extract from an editorial in the Hindustan Times pretty much sums it up: "We have seen a rash of self-appointed moral guardians telling people what art is 'acceptable' and what they should wear or read. Such proscriptions have no place in a diverse democracy like ours".
You tell 'em, editorial-writing person!
Anyway, the good news (and the point of me writing this post, other than to vent) is to inform you all that a group of enterprising and indignant women AND men, calling themselves a Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women, have decided to fight back...in a very original way, known as the Pink Chaddi Campaign.
A 'chaddi' is pretty much...a pair of underpants. It's a very slangy colloquial word, in Hindi but pretty much used and recognised all over India. Like saying 'undies'. Except funnier. Anyway, on Valentine's Day, MISTER Pramod Mutalik is going to be SWAMPED WITH PINK UNDERWEAR at his office in Hubli, Karnataka, India. And EVERYBODY IS GOING TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
Sucks to be you, Mr. Pramod Mutalik. You can just kiss all our pink-chaddi wearing, pubgoing, alcohol-sampling asses.
Check out the Pink Chaddi Campaign's Blogger page and Facebook community to learn more. And feel free to send pink chaddis and spread the word.
I think this is a brilliant idea, and will gain tons more publicity than a simple old protest march, scandalising those horrible buggers out of their sad little self-righteous, legalistic, male-chauvenistic, fucked up little minds.
Read about what a pathetic little right-wing group giving itself the fancy title of the 'Sri Rama Sena' (which means the Army of Lord Rama) did a week or two ago, and be angry like me.
For those of you who want a summary, here's the low-down...a bunch of thugs attacked and beat up a group of women coming out of a bar in Mangalore. Why? Because apparently, it is 'not acceptable' for Indian women to a) drink or b) go to bars or pubs. The point in question here is not the usual 'drinking is bad' routine that pops up here and there all over the world. Nono, drinking is fine, bars are fine, it's just that for an INDIAN woman to go to a bar and have a drink is disgraceful and very, very bad. *nods sagely*
WTF?!?!
This attack was CAUGHT ON VIDEO fortunately, and aired on national television, effectively pissing off tons of people. And giving this previously little-known group a lot of bad publicity, obviously. The worst part is, Pramod Mutalik, the leader of the group, insists that 'what his men did was right' and most justifiable because apparently they were 'preserving Indian culture and moral values.'
Again I say: WTF?!?!
The video, which has been incorporated into the online news articles I linked to, shows the men chasing and beating up the women, and even kicking the ones that fell down. HOW IN THE HELL IS THIS PRESERVING INDIAN CULTURE AND MORAL VALUES? Is it right or moral to knock a woman onto the ground and then kick her? Isn't Indian culture 'traditionally' supposed to shower respect and adulation onto women, as mothers of life? (Not that this actually happens, but if we're talking 'culture' here...)
There is so much I want to say that my brain is hurting. Argh. Just. ARGH.
This extract from an editorial in the Hindustan Times pretty much sums it up: "We have seen a rash of self-appointed moral guardians telling people what art is 'acceptable' and what they should wear or read. Such proscriptions have no place in a diverse democracy like ours".
You tell 'em, editorial-writing person!
Anyway, the good news (and the point of me writing this post, other than to vent) is to inform you all that a group of enterprising and indignant women AND men, calling themselves a Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women, have decided to fight back...in a very original way, known as the Pink Chaddi Campaign.
A 'chaddi' is pretty much...a pair of underpants. It's a very slangy colloquial word, in Hindi but pretty much used and recognised all over India. Like saying 'undies'. Except funnier. Anyway, on Valentine's Day, MISTER Pramod Mutalik is going to be SWAMPED WITH PINK UNDERWEAR at his office in Hubli, Karnataka, India. And EVERYBODY IS GOING TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
Sucks to be you, Mr. Pramod Mutalik. You can just kiss all our pink-chaddi wearing, pubgoing, alcohol-sampling asses.
Check out the Pink Chaddi Campaign's Blogger page and Facebook community to learn more. And feel free to send pink chaddis and spread the word.