Indian women in politics are always subjected to sexist attitudes and remarks. If central minister Smirti Irani is referred to “thumka laganey wali” on live TV, former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia is criticised for not looking the part of a princess, for her weight and more. Numerous derogatory remarks (some so lewd as to be unmentionable) are made about Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati as well. So when Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her official entry into Indian politics she was quickly subjected to the vicious ‘political jokes’ on WhatsApp and her every action monitored, judged and criticised.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined Twitter this last February and tweeted all of 6 times. She already has 272k followers. So far she has quoted Gandhiji, condemned the Christchurch attacks, condoled Manohar Parrikar and so on.
She is sitting on a rough bench, smiling into the camera, looking much like any other woman of her age; wearing jeans. It is the jeans that irked people, however.
BJP MP Harish Dwivedi had a problem that she would wear jeans when in Delhi and don a saree when campaigning in political constituencies. Earlier BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya had also commented upon her ‘chocolaty face’. There are countless such instances where women are subjected to such scrutiny of their attire and looks that no male politician is subjected to.
Apparently, the ability to use more than one language, and wear more than one type of clothing is an attempt to fool people, by the logic of this Twitter user. He also thinks that it is “shameless” that a person whose spouse is under investigation should be in politics; which is grounds for boycott of her rallies.
Sexism comes in all forms and garbs. According to this Twitter user, she should “discard saree” because the jeans are “sexy”. It is only women in politics whose attire, sex appeal or lack thereof are examined, discussed and commented upon. Men in politics suffer no such scrutiny or judgement.
She chooses to go by the name of her own family as well as the family she married into; using both her maiden and married surnames; as many modern Indian women do. For a lot of people this is unacceptable – either because it is seen as a woman asserting her identity or because it is seen as political opportunism.
Many come to the support of Priyanka Gandhi. To see a woman politician wearing what most modern Indian women wear is a departure from convention; many agreed that this is refreshing.
Some Twitter users also welcomed the ‘symbolism’ of the DP change; the fact that it depicts a woman who shows and asserts herself as she is; in the various roles she plays in her life.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra represents many Indian women who straddle the modern and the traditional with equal ease. Numerous Indian women are as comfortable in jeans as they are in sarees; many of them identify with her. In our still overwhelmingly patriarchal society, it will be some time before men are able to accept women on their own terms – in society as well as in politics.
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