Social silence on issues in India hurts gender activism

Suppose one came across a report in Al Jazeera which mentioned that not a single girl was born for three months in 132 villages in India, one would be shocked, but such a resolve would not go very far as it is likely that one would more often than not be unable to fully understand such an issue with a social silence somewhat in society over aversion to the girl child, female infanticide or sex-selective abortions. If one went to visit a friend thereafter and entered into a conversation over the issue, the reaction could be, “Wow! How did that happen?” and the discussion would begin and end with one lively conversation. The news report would remain a news report and just that. It wouldn’t be properly understood as a social problem if one could not find a real-life inference of the issue in society.

The perceived realness of mediated interaction is important, and if, for reasons of victims choosing not to talk about their problem or of people not wishing to talk about their misdeeds openly, there is a crisis of perceptibility for observers, the social silence on the issue prevents it from figuring in discussions on gender activism. Issues such as aversion for the girl child, dowry and bullying for example can be issues that might frequently appear as wrapped in a social silence whereas other issues such as freedom of urban mobility for women, sexual violence and LGBTQ rights for example frequently appear as prominent issues discussed within gender activism. On some issues is a sea of acceptability as a problem, and on others, a trickling and lonely teardrop. In some, activism is an idea that has risen up to oppression, and on others, power sits on a cushion of silence.

Times however, have not necessarily become more assertive — but definitely more communicable. What was a personal problem before the Internet now travels halfway around the world in a flash. Those connected are now truly hard-wired into a biosphere of communicability. We now see clusters of mediated activity in which the more readily people attach themselves to reality, the more involved more people are over social discourse on the same. Therein lies the trick. It’s about credibility as a problem. The more an issue gathers consensus and is understood as a social problem, the more it figures as an issue for gender activism. With some issues there is less consensus and understanding on the issue as a social problem and they are not readily identifiable as such. There is consensus in society on sexual violence for example as a problem but on some other issues, there might be less consensus, with the problem being seen as being culturally “normal” or less relatable as a problem for most people.

Activism on gender needs to communicate consensus on an issue, and for this it needs to encourage greater understanding on the same. It is necessary that discussion of the problem itself becomes more acceptable in society before debate opens up. Understanding requires that problems faced by victims be symbolically characterised and a fair analysis be made. The characterisation of victims needs to encourage sympathy in how such is received. Any engagement in such discussion needs to be one wherein people are sympathetically invested — such that an insider-outsider dialectic prevents damage due to people who are uninvolved in or disinclined towards the problem. In a climate of sympathy for the problem, there is a greater likelihood that discussion of the problem will become more acceptable. In this approach, instead of shock, which can polarise debate on the issue, a sympathetic symbolic portrayal of the problem aims at building a more dedicated form of involvement rather than an emotional one. Oppression is mo
re widespread than what one might observe, and focus is required on a climate of discussion and reconciliation.

With greater consensus and understanding in society over a wider range of issues, more social change is possible, as oppression is ubiquitous, and social change that aims at prevention is a better instrument of social reform than vendetta. If activism can concentrate on creating an environment wherein people can come forward with problems that can circulate without hate in a fair setting, there is greater possibility to communicate activism. In this, the fairness of how problems and situations are handled alongside greater sympathy and understanding can help. In the struggle against oppression and power, fairness becomes very important. The more fairness people expect, the more they will be willing to engage with a problem. Fairness needs to be an ethical value to uphold in activism on gender, in which people might look at justice as reform or even as compensation, but fairness and indeed justice must be demanded for oneself as well as for others.

The struggle between silence and oppression is an old one, and greater communicability is introducing new generations to an ancient struggle. Topics that were earlier incredibly obscure are now being looked into. Things that were seen as “normal” in culture are now being seen as improper. What was earlier the victim’s shame is now warpaint, and what was societal honour is now individual rights. The environment wherein gender is being discussed is being redefined by the new ways in which people are defining the self. What were ordained as roles are now being overtaken by self-assertions of identity and non-conformism. The self in gender is being radically redefined, and in many ways. With more and more people asserting themselves, one would expect that individuals not remain silent on oppression.

It cannot be normal that one is supposed to be oppressed. To come out of this trap, people need to learn about other perspectives on their situation. Activism and communicability that builds consensus can lift this situational smokescreen. The credibility of an issue as a problem has to be clearly communicated — that needs to be normalised. People can then be encouraged to join support systems that can help them come to terms with their situation. In such, a healthy environment in activism is important wherein people receive responsible support in how to deal with their problem.