For Bengaluru resident Aishwarya Subramaniann an autorickshaw ride last Sunday turned out to be a 'shamming and harrowing' experience as she was given lessons about appropriate dress code for women, when they step out.
A city-based writer, Aishwarya shared her experience of moral policing at the hands of a rickshaw driver, who 'slut-shammed' her as her dress failed to pass the driver's morality test. She posted her story on Facebook with pictures of the vehicle and the driver in question.
“This man's name is srikanth. About five minutes ago I got out of his auto. The Metre was 40 but I asked him to keep 50 as it was hot outside,” read Aishwarya's post.
“And then he looks at me for a second and says - 'please don't mind me, but what you are wearing is inappropriate'. I stand there shocked.”
When she stood up for herself, she claims that the driver steps out of his vehicle and 'slut-shammed' her further in public.
“And then I tell him clearly that as long as I am paying he has no right to tell me what I can or cannot wear. Then he gets out of the auto to tell me why I shouldn't be dressed like a slut (I am wearing a white summer dress that reaches my knee),” she said in her post.
To add insult to injury, some bystanders sided with the rickshaw driver as they sought to discipline her in middle of a street over her style of dressing.
“A few men gather as I take pictures. One man who has gathered tells me that the auto driver is right. Apparently a girl who lives in a society like mine should be dressed more modestly and like a woman. I am about to start crying at this point,” she said.
“This is the first time I have been so publicly slut shamed. Thankfully two men who came from a junk food store I frequent and told the auto driver and the moral police that I get to wear what I want when I want. I walk away feeling shell shocked and ashamed,” she added.
Aishwarya's post was shared more than 1,500 times till the time of filing of this report.
“You want to know why we fight for our dignity? Because even the clothes we wear makes us sluts. What is the point in being a girl in this country anymore? I feel so embarrassed. My building's guard was standing right there as these men called me a slut for wearing the clothes I wore,” she wrote.
“This is who I am. These are the clothes I wear. Everyone else can fuck off. Anyone can share this post. I am done feeling ashamed for being me.”
Aishwarya's ordeal on social media received a mixed response as many commented on her support, while some slammed her for posting pictures of the driver and his autorickshaw with the registration number.
In a clarification, Aishwarya updated her post claiming that she uploaded the pictures on Facebook with the consent of the driver as he wanted to send out a message and was confident that people will agree with him.
“I actually asked his permission before taking his picture and posting it on social media! He said that he wanted 'his message' out because the country will agree with him and not me,” she said.
“I gave him far more respect than he did me. Please please don't think these pictures exist here without consent. I have it! And given how skewered the Indian mentality sometimes can be, I actually think he has a point when he says that there will be people agreeing with what he had to say,” she said.
