ANONYMOUS SLUT-SHAMING ON ANTI-SEXISM POSTER STUNS TISS

Anonymous slut-shaming on anti-sexism poster stuns TISS
The poster, with the comment in red, put up at the TISS campus

Comment left in bold red on poster put up as part of gender-sensitisation week, triggers debate.

It is an open secret that sexism is a very real concern in our daily lives. Awareness and education are considered key in the battle against gender-biases. But the irony contained in it is lost to none when sexism pervades the premiere education campuses in the country.

The students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) campus, currently in the middle of a gender-sensitisation week, woke up on Wednesday to a brazen expression of the vice that they were trying to battle. A blank poster put up on the campus for students to write about their experiences of sexual harassment had the following scribbled in bold, red script: Sexism is an accusation sluts level against dissenting voices for recognising that a slut is a slut.”

This has now triggered a raging debate about the urgency of dealing with the issue of sexism on campus.

It all began with a large number of students coming together at TISS to have a discussion about sexism and sexual harassment on campus and in general. In this backdrop, some students gathered on Monday to discuss what could be done to sensitise people, including students, teachers and the staff members who work on campus. This is when some students from the Department of Women’s Studies came up with the idea of having talks and discussions about casual sexism, gender biases and sexual harassment.

Students had put up several posters on campus with messages pertaining to sexism and sexual harassment and had also put up a flex board outside the main campus dining hall. People were asked to share their encounters with sexism in everyday lives and their experiences. While a lot of students wrote about sexist jokes and swear words that are considered to be perfectly normal, an anonymous person seizing the opportunity to unleash a brazen, sexist attack acted as a hypnic jerk for most.

“Vandalism on posters is commonplace on this campus. This has happened before, during the Rohith Vemula protests. But this comment has upset all of us who are trying really hard to end such behaviour in society that perpetrate sexism and sexual harassment,” said a senior research scholar requesting anonymity.

Apart from the subtle instances of sexism through casual ‘jokes’ or shenanigans, the students have also long felt the need for a redressal committee more effective than their current Committee Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) to deal with more serious issues.

Mr Aftab Alam, Legal Representative, TISS in certain cases said, “The CASH committee is a platform created by the student union with administration representation .There are certain issues which students often bring to the notice of the committee through which it is conveyed to the core administration.If students are not happy with the way in which their issue is tackled , they can make a formal complaint with the core administration which can be legally handled.”

“In my personal knowledge, in this case there is no case with the CASH or administration. If there is any complaint we would take immediate cognizance of the issue. We would still look into the issue and see to it that students don’t face any trouble.”he added.

While the students have not yet registered an official complaint with the institute about Tuesday’s vandalism, they are planning to take up the issue along with several others with the authorities soon.

Meanwhile, it still remains unclear who has written the comment, as the campus is also open to guests from outside, apart from students and the staff.

Despite repeated calls and messages, S Parasuraman, Director, TISS could not be reached for a comment.

http://www.mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/Anonymous-slut-shaming-on-anti-sexism-poster-stuns-TISS/articleshow/54572152.cms