Lecture report

Feminism want equality, Love and peace

Earlier there were Culture & Religious Patriarchy,

 now there is Capitalist Patriarchy too

Gulshan Udham

Jammu, 06 Aug:

Feminism is not for the fifty percent of the population but it is for the 100 percent of the population. This word comes from the French word. It comes to smash Patriarchy. If there is no patriarchy then there is no need of Feminism. These are the opening words of the Lecture of the Prominent Feminist and Social Activist Kamla Bhasin given in the Balraj Puri Memorial Lecture 2018. The lecture was being organized by Department of Sociology, Jammu University and Institute of J&K Affairs in the Brigadier Rajinder Singh Auditorium of Jammu University. The topic of the lecture is ‘Feminism and its relevance in South Asia’.

 Further She said Patriarchy is unequal Social system in which superiority of dominance of Male is managed without any explanation and it is Global, One can see ‘Trump Sahab’ in USA. It is against the sexism, discrimination and patriarchy, She said.

Anyone who recognize discrimination against the girls and women is feminist, In their views, She said. There may be possibility that vegetable vendor women can be feminist but a woman, Professor of a University may not be Feminist.

She said Patriarchy if illness and Matriarchy is not the solution of this. One illness not replace the other one. The opposite of the of Patriarchy must be Equality.  

She said, Some people asked he why is it not called it ‘Humanism’ as the place of ‘feminism’. And She explained that Humanism is already exist but it is not focus itself on Gender equality. She gives the example for her argument as Struggle of Indian for freedom is known as Indian freedom struggle.  Struggle of Dalit is known as Dalit Struggle Movement. So if the struggle of women who are oppressod, why not called the Feminism, She said.

 I am not Dalit but I support Dalit movement. I am not belongs to working class but I support Working class movement. But it is not necessary one should have to be belongings to support something, she said.

Feminism is Global and there is other social system such as cast, class, race, color which are related with it.  Dalit and Poor women have more chances to rape as compare to privilege women. So the feminism is intersectional, She said.  

After that, Feminist Bhasin talked about the Capitalist Patriarchy. She said earlier there were culture and religious patriarchy but now there was capitalist patriarchy too and the God of this patriarchy is only ‘Greed’.  One can see pornography is the million dollar business in todays world. Cosmetics and advertisement industries make nearly eighty five percent women unhappy.  

Further she added that Toy Industries are also discriminated with women. There is gun toy for women and barbies doll for the girls. She asked, why the parents too involved in it.

99% film movies of Bollywood as well as Hollywood are anti-women and Patriarchal. Even men can’t watch the cricket without ‘Sexual Utejna’, She said.

She added songs are also horrible and anti-female given example of

One song “Loundiya Patayenge miss call se”. And who is responsible for these things those who made and sale it or those who purchase and consume it, She said. What does the meaning of this line. She asked. What types of relationship men want from the women?

One should we aware to know on which jokes we should laugh, which films we should watch, which toys we purchase. That’s why she said Feminism is intersectional.

Further She said, Feminism is not western debate but it is global debate and it is as old as Patriarchy. In the time of Goutam Budha, Guru Nanak, Prophet Mohammad, Women raise the voice against discrimination and this was the Gender debate and this is the feminist debate, She said. But they did not give complete equality to the women, this is another issues, She added.

She said if someone asks feminism if western thought then even we should accept this wonderful idea. Because the Idea of Nationalism at all. Ideas are global. Cast and Sati is the ideas of our country but I strongly reject them, She said. And if there is good idea in the global, one should accept it.

 She said, this lecture is in the defense of the Constitution of India which said the men and women are equal citizen neither be less than nor to be more than.  

She said, No Man is biological violent but the patriarchy creates it. According to Indian Government forty percent of the husband did violence against their wives in India.

She said, the men who teas, touch the women are sexual obsession and they should require proper treatment.

Feminism is journey and she doesn’t found any perfect Feminist. And unless women are not fee men can’t free. She gives another example as parents some time asked six year old brother to go with 22 years old sisters for their protections. She asked how it is possible? One should have to strong their girls for her own protections. Why should the men have responsible for protections?

She said, Thirty seven percent girls died in India before birth and more than fifty people are involved in the death of single child directly or indirectly. Then how one can say, we are in non – violent country.

In the end of the lecture, She said By these all debates one can easily start thinking oneself as feminist. But it is most dangerous thing, She said. First one have to questions oneself. Because it is enters in the home, in relations, religions and event in the bedroom.

One should have to questions all these things. Every month a festival will come demoralize the women. One should celebrate the festivals without any discrimination of women or men, she said.

In the end, she said one should be feminist but not to be opportunist.

She end her lecture with her three slogans which are:

1. “ I am not the wall that divide, but I am the wall that cracks.”

2. “Man of Quality are not afraid of Equality.”

3. “Not Love of Power, but Power of Love.”

After the mains speech, The Vice Chancellor of Jammu Universty Prof. Manoj K Dhar addressed the peoples. He congratulated the departments and institutes for organizing such lecture.

He said lecture is beneficial and fruitful for everyone. He said twins have same genetic material in them but their behaviors are different it because the environment. That shapes the behaviors and personality of one. And biologically man and women are equal.

And after that the formal vote of thanks was given by the Prof Hema Gandotra, Assistant professor of department of Sociology, JU.

On this event, Head of the Sociology Department, Prof. Vishav Raksha, Institute of J&K Affairs, Ellora Puri, Former Vice Chancellor of Jammu University Prof. R.D. Sharma, Dean and Head of the different. departments, directors, Civilian body, scholars, and students were present.