Vagina is Not a "Gaali" Anymore

NEW DELHI: One billion Rose on the 14 Feb this year . One of the most widespread campaign, found a multitude of participants in more than 200 countries of the world, who danced their way to freedom, while spreading the extent of 'Pink Scare' to much chagrin of the seasoned patriarchs .

OBR , is a brainchild of Eve Ensler, a playwright, who devised a novel way to sensitise people by being brazenly upfront about the very terminology used to disparage women in all cultures throughout . She wrote a play two decades back . Named it 'Vagina Monologues' . And the rest is history .

OBR is a giant movement , having its roots around the world in the form of NGOs and several other organisations . One such organisation is captained by Kamla Bhasin , a veteran of the feminist movement , who has seen the evolution of the movement , while greatly contributing to many of its changes .

This writer had a chance to have a small talk with her. She spoke of the importance of the feminist movement what are it’s biggest challenges , and why 'vagina' is not a 'gaali' anymore.

" There have hardly been any resistance from the authorities but, the biggest challenges we face are from corporates , and advertising industry", she said when asked about the problems in materialising the aims of the feminist movements into success. "It's the Bollywood and movies like Dabangg which show women in a bad light , which are the biggest enemies of women hood". Among other things as the enemies of a smooth upliftment of women she cited " the stereotyping of a woman's image by the Barbie doll culture , and objectification of women in porn ".

Equally siding with the men's issues of being objectified , she blamed the cosmetic industry for reducing the idea if men's conception of a beauty of a woman to to her being fair complexioned.

She blamed fairness creams like Fair & Lovely as most responsible for the subversion of the images of both genders, to such unwholesomeness.

She explained further, "vagina is not a gaali anymore, and not a word of disrespect for women. The fact that you and I are able to use this word freely without feeling any shame is a vindication in itself ".

True enough since not many people would be candid enough to refer to that anatomical part of a woman's body in public without either using its more insulting versions , or , hiding behind the veil of euphemisms. Like Nabokov did when he used 'inverted delta' , while referring to Lolita's vagina.

"Vaginas are not for raping , and Vaginas are not for joking. " Bhasin asserted with an assurance which only comes with rare validation , and when one reposes her faith in an idea that she believes has the power to change the world .