Dark Side of a Common Gesture

Dark Side of a Common Gesture
I wish it was possible to shout at the top of one’s voice at men who constantly gawk at women in public places. Unfortunately it is not, per se, and thus this practice of gawking at women continues unchecked.
Not every single man is involved in this trouble making act and also not every woman is affected by this gesture. Staring results in women’s oppression and strengthens gender inequality in the society. This issue profoundly needs public discourses in order to inform men to avoid objectification of women and to give them a safe space to live in. There is need also to raise public awareness on how women should have the privilege to dress according to their own wishes, without feeling insecure of being sexually harassed.
     On behalf of victims of gawking a campaign was started in Pakistan, which has been conducting various programs for the noble cause. During the summer of 2013, Shayan Afzal Khan, who is CEO of “Kuch Khaas”, which is a platform for public discourse, learning, cultural enlightenment and societal participation in Pakistan, presented for a campaign called “Nazrain Neechay”, which could address the issue of gawking in the Pakistani context. “Nazrain Neechay” is an Urdu phrase, which means “lower your gaze”. Of course, the idea of keeping silence reinforces the issue to further expand its roots. Therefore, the campaign aims to address the issue, so that gawking could be eradicated from the society, due to which most women’s lives are restricted.

Dark Side of a Common Gesture

This issue needs public discourses in order to make women realize their right to feel comfortable and safe in public places and also for the amelioration of women’s status in the society. Gender inequality is deep rooted issue in most of the developing countries, including Pakistan and the issue of gawking is one of the primary means of expression of gender inequality in the country. Mainly, women are considered responsible for their own victimization. Interestingly, the mainstream perception holds that women are being stared at because they enter public spaces in such kind of clothing which “captivates men’s attention”. Existence of such kind of perceptions makes it hard to extricate the practice of staring from the issue of women’s oppression and gender inequality. In case of Pakistan, it may be noted, a considerable number of women prefer to wear their cultural attire, which emphasizes covering up rather than exposing oneself. Despite that they become the center of male attention. Hence, it is wrong to assume that mainly women’s clothing matters.
The constant gawking of men at women in public places is an objectification of women, and to stop men from staring at women would be the first step toward building gender equality. Staring could be defined as being targeted to unwelcoming gaze in public places, in the absence of one’s consent. According to Alberta Human Rights commission, sexual harassment is “any unwelcome sexual behavior that adversely affects, or threatens to affect, directly or indirectly, a person’s job security, working conditions or prospects for promotion or earnings; or prevents a person from getting a job, living accommodations or any kind of public service.” Hence, staring could be categorized as kind of sexual harassment. To be targeted to men’s gaze is a problem of those common women, who do work outside, use public transport, often visit public places, for instance the market for groceries, to fulfill their basic needs, and more. When some men keep on looking at them and get pleasure by looking at their various body parts, such women feel sexually harassed. Women are equally human and therefore, men should avoid treating women as sex object. When societies are free from sexual harassments women will feel safe to come out of their homes, which fosters their participation in workplaces.
Gawking is equally intense against women’s rights as sexual assault, eve teasing and passing sexual comments. Women feel sexually aggravated, facing constantly staring by men in their alliance. When men stare at women it makes those women fearful that what next step those men will take. Being center of attention of men in public some women start thinking that such men might attack them, kidnap them and expose to sexual assault or they might pass sexual comments on those women. Due to creating such fearful and insecure environment staring is problematic for some women.
People talk about this issue very rarely. This is because some consider it a natural fact and some perceive the issue is solution less. However, it is not so: that men can stare at women and that there is no harm in it, it is socially constructed ideology, and its solution rests making those men aware of how things actually are and should be. Men need to know that the gesture which they consider normal is hampering some women’s lives. They should realize that women, when they are being stared at do not feel comfortable to venture into public spaces, go for work, studies or even spend leisure time in a park. The issue of gawking needs to be resolved in order to foster gender equality and to encourage women to continue to work in a safe and comfortable environment so that they can become active members of the societies, effectively contributing towards the progress and prosperity of the general public.