Decifering the #metoo movement.
Its about abuse of power.
Power over a public transport traveller, who you have the opportunity to touch inappropriately several times.
Power over a subordinate employee whose back you lean over and touch her hands/thighs unnecessarily.
Power over a child who has come to you with a complaint.
Power over any person who cannot speak up for violating her/his personal space.
And what is that personal space-
That space is the very body of that person.
Don’t brush past a person without apologizing. Don’t display your body, if you sense the other is uncomfortable.
How do you sense that?
Just watch, there will be signs.
Withdraw unwanted attention.
Respect EVERYONE.
Man, Woman, Child.
Help everyone.
Care for who you are and who the other is.
If you are a parent, you have power.
If you are an employer, you have power,
If you are an employee, you still have power, coz you may also employ someone to do the jobs, you don’t want to do.
You all have power over someone today.
Be careful not to abuse that power. Use that power to help, to reduce the other’s difficulties.
Use your power in a manner that helps you to feel good about who YOU are.
The #metoo movement is understanding power.
Was i ever abused... so many many times.
Will i now speak up, if it happens again?
Yes of course.
Do i want justice for all those who did it?
No, because I don’t want retributive action. Because i know, they will be punished. I don’t want to know how.
What I want is for my daughter to feel she has the power to say ‘Back off’. I want her to know, i will believe her, if she tells me a story of abuse.
I want her to feel the strength that comes from standing tall and straight without a blemish to one’s character.
My clothes, my body, these are mine, only mine. No one has any right over them, without my ‘yes’.
No means no.
I embrace the #metoo movement for the equality of women and men. Irrespective of class, caste, and age.
Be the person, you want others to be.
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