People who wear make up cannot take up for a cause? Swara Bhasker

Be it an auto rickshaw driver or a troll on social media, everyone in this country has an opinion to offer on a woman's appearance. A woman just trolled Swara Bhasker for her post demanding justice for Kathua rape and murder victim. And why, you ask, according to her, Bhasker's make up was inappropriate in context of the issue she was raising her voice against.

I am Hindustan. I am Ashamed. #JusticeForOurChild #JusticeForAasifa
8 years old. Gangraped. Murdered.
In ‘Devi’-sthaan temple. #Kathua and lest we forget #unnao Shame on us! #BreakTheSilence #EndTheComplicity #ActNow pic.twitter.com/O8rABOrZq9

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) April 13, 2018

Shruti will you please ask @ReallySwara what was the need doing makeup while talking about such a sensitive issue ? I wish these actors knew the difference between real and reel life .

— Chandni Sethia (@chand_in) April 13, 2018

My focus is very much on the #asifa justice . When we go on someone’s funeral or raise our voice against such heinous act, should this be how we dress up. You have fashion stylist to tell what to wear and where to wear. We the normal people do such things to make our voices heard

— Chandni Sethia (@chand_in) April 13, 2018

Bhasker, who is known for not taking abuse lying low, clarified that she was at a shoot when she had taken the said picture.

She asked her troll, why people who wear make up cannot take up for a cause? Don’t they have the right to express their opinion?

The need for make up was because I was right in the middle of a shoot Chandni.. you know that thing called WORK.. But why is that important? People who wear make up cannot take up for a cause? Don’t have the right to express their opinion? What’s bothering you? https://t.co/Z7X9gMSo5Y

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) April 13, 2018

Appearance is used to box women in stereotypes

Women in our country get judged constantly for their appearance. What we choose to wear on our bodies or our faces is an open invitation for strangers to come and rate us. It's not only an issue of people’s constant need to demerit women, but also violates privacy and individual rights.

Interestingly, this judgement not only comes from men, but from other women as well. This only gets worse in case of celebrities. Swara Bhasker being a case in point. The woman criticises Bhasker for wearing make up while talking about a sensitive issue.

What has Bhasker’s make up even got to do with what she is saying?

If women wear make up they branded are vain and shallow, but if they don’t, then they are dorky. If they choose to wear designer clothes, then they are superficial. While women who could care less about what they are wearing are behenjis. If they have long hair, which requires constant grooming, they are “high-maintenance”. If they choose to keep their hair short, then they are boyish.

Criticising a woman’s appearance to humiliate her shows people’s inability to look beyond someone’s face or body. Such superficial standards to assess women is the reason why they have to struggle so much to prove their worth.

Such comments are impolite, invasive and superficial. People who make them are guilty of shifting focus from what matters to what should not. In Bhasker’s case, they are guilty of assuming that she is insincere regarding her stand. They are guilty of discrediting a woman simply because her appearance is not as per their “standards” or code of conduct.

Also Read : Do We Treat Beautiful Women Differently Because of Our Bias?

Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section.  The views expressed are the author’s own