The Woman Card: Who Uses It More Often?

Bollywood is quite infamous for glorifying women solely for their beauty. In such a scenario, if an actress confronts a renowned director on his show for being harsh towards outsiders and women in particular, the consequences can be disastrous. That's exactly what happened in an episode of 'Koffee With Karan'. Kangana Ranaut, who came along with Saif Ali Khan to promote her film 'Rangoon', gave some really fiery answers meant to teach Karan a lesson.

She called Karan Johar "the flag-bearer of nepotism" who cannot stomach the entry of outsiders in the industry. She also confronted him for mocking at her English accent. The final blow to Karan came when she declared that he would essay the character of the antagonist in her autobiography.

While Karan swallowed the attacks made on him with a fake smile, it was very clear that Kangana's straightforwardness didn't go down well with him. At an event organised by London School Of Economics and Political Science, he justified himself by citing instances to prove that he doesn't believe in nepotism. He even said that if Kangana finds the industry to be so bad, she is free to leave it.

And then came the comment that has spurred some meaningful debates on social media,

“I’m done with Kangana playing the woman and victim card. I am done! You cannot be this victim every time and have a sad story to tell about how you’ve been terrorized by the bad world of the industry … leave it.”

Kangana had a terrific response to this. She said, "I am using the badass card." She further said:

“At the workplace, it’s the badass card to fight cut-throat competition. With my family and loved ones, it’s the love card. When fighting the world, it’s the dignity card, and for a seat on a bus, it’s the woman card. What is important to understand is that we are not fighting people, we are fighting a mentality. I am not fighting Karan Johar, I am fighting male chauvinism.”

Their remarks left many wondering what a woman's card is and who, out of the two genders, uses it more.

Also Read: Women Who Lead Discuss How They Are Often Termed Bossy

What is a woman card?

According to chauvinists, a woman card is a defensive tool used by women to justify their problems and get ahead in life. Many also refer to it as the "same old emotional story" that is common to all women, but powerful enough to move people. A woman card helps them wriggle out of difficult situations, putting the entire blame on the system, people around and their biological setting.

Do men use the woman card more often than women?

While men accuse women of using the woman card every time, the truth is far from it. Indian workplaces, domestic spheres and academic institutions suggest a different story altogether.

"I, along with two more female friends, was selected for an Inter-School Spell-Bee competition. The competition was to be held late evening. We were, however, dropped at the last moment because the school authorities thought that it wouldn't be safe for female students to venture out in the evening. They decided to send two boys in our place. But I am very sure that we were far better than them."

Also Read: SheLeadsIndia: How Sexist Is the Media?

From doubting women's potential to not giving them due credit, many men make the best use of the woman card

"Whenever a discussion on women's rights starts in my office, the male colleagues complain that women have reserved seats in colleges, public transport and even administrative set-ups. Success comes easy to them. I beg to differ. I take the metro everyday. Most of the times, it is crowded with people trying to grope women. Women compartments make us feel safe. India needs reservation to make women a visible stratum of society," shares Sonali Bhambri, a corporate professional from Gurgaon.

Rashi Goel, pursuing law from Delhi, says:

"My college presentations used to be the best. I would work hard day and night to collect facts and present them in the best way possible. My male competitors would remark that the college authorities wanted more girls to come forward and that's why they chose my presentation. I used to feel very bad."

This thinking reflects yet another condescending side of men, which is now a personality trait in most of them by virtue of patriarchy. In our society, a male ego take a huge beating if some woman beats him at his own game or is simply more successful than him. There is a lack of healthy competition because they are after all competing with the 'weaker sex'. It is hard for them to believe that a woman, who they were taught, truly belongs to a kitchen and is only good for raising a family, can also be good at some other job. It is time for men to stop using the card for concealing their own insecurities.