Women claim their space, yet again

Either day or night, women and men possess equal rights to loiter, say the women who organised an walk in Secunderabad, on the occasion of Christmas

Dear women, Come back home before sun sets.
Don’t go for a second show movie.
No loitering on roads.

These are the common restrictions that girls encounter, when they want to hang out. Why does the world deny women the right when men can loiter at any time? Many Indian women questioned this stereotype and the result was initiatives like ‘I Will Go Out’ and claiming spaces earlier this year.

Closer home it was ‘Loitering Hyderabad’. On the occasion of Christmas, a group of around 10 girls got together at Secunderabad Railway Station at 10pm and walked up to an Irani café for chai.

“One night when my friends and I visited Hyderabad’s popular Irani café, we observed the sharp looks of men and that strongly hit us. This conveyed us their shock with a question writ on their faces - why these girls visited a wrong place at unusual time?

Does this place only belong to men? Why such awkward looks from society when woman walks or claims public places, especially when it is during the nights? These questions constantly roamed in our heads that moved us to conduct “loitering Hyderabad”, a replica of “I will go out” the nation-wide programme on women claiming public spaces,” said Sonia Akula. The purpose is to voice out that city belongs equally to men and women, and give wakeup call to all those men who make catcalls to women.

“This should be an act of resolution, girls should be allowed to take risk and equally walk confidently like men during night,” said Shalini Pathi, Assistant Professor, Kasturba Gandhi College for Women. Girls should be given opportunity to go about without the protection of men.

Varsha Bhargavi, State Coordintor, Elimination of Child Labour, Telangana Government pointed out, “We don’t want their protection and can loiter without male escort.” Society believes in false perception that women travelling in buses and cabs or with father or brother remains safe. Instead one must teach every girl child to bring in confidence to fight any offence.”

Sherein, Assistant editor, pratham books, said, “Despite having irani chai stalls across Hyderabad, It surprised me to witness that no single woman was having irani chai; When I went to have chai, I found the whole place is crowded with men throwing weird looks on me. Men should also feel normal and should get over their perception on certain places being exclusively for men. We strongly state that every part of the city belongs equally to men and women.”

Society might attach a negative sticker saying, only elite group believes in this line of thought, just for fun; we are here so that our move will improve the life of rural girls, who cannot afford to raise voice and we hope to help them enjoy life in their own way. The initiative which started off with four members last year has now risen to just 10.

However, the numbers are not pulling the motley group back. They believe it is not easy, yet, “We hope that the number will continue to increase to help us take this to the next level with newer ideas,” they say.

Sushma Nagaraju