Nikita Azad is back with #HappyToBleed campaign once again. Last year, on November 21, 2015, #HappyToBleed campaign was launched as a counter attack against the sexist statement given by Devaswom chief Prayar Gopalakrishnan who had stated that women will be allowed to enter the famous Sabarimala temple in Kerala only after a machine to “check the purity of women”.
Countercurrents.org was an active partner in the campaign. Lots of women and men came foward to join the campaign with a photograph holding a poster with #HappyToBleed written on it. Those photos garnered millions of views on Facebook. One single post even garnering 12.5 million views!
After the campaign went viral and gaining international headlines, lots of worship places in India were opened up to women’s entry which was hitherto denied to them. Even court orders followed allowing women entry into worship places.
Sabarimala temple entry for women is in headlines again with a raging debate on the issue. Some women have came up with a campaign saying that they are ready to uphold the custom of Sabarimala which restricts entry of menstruating women with the hash tag #ReadyToWait.
Nitkita Azad has initiated a campaign once again with the hashtag #BreakTheCageOfGenderAndAge
Here is Nikita Azad’s Facebook post:
This is an important post. Please share widely.
I recently saw that some women in Kerala have initiated a campaign called ‘Ready To Wait’, pointing out the fact that they respect menstrual discrimination in Sabarimala temple (calling it a tradition). It is not the first time when women have stood up as carriers of patriarchy. Be it blaming women for sexual harassment, respecting the honors of their families, accepting every form of patriarchy by calling it religion and custom, many women have internalized patriarchy. Thus, it does not come as a surprise to me.
However, that does not change our conviction and neither does it change the constitution. A public space cannot discriminate on the basis of gender or age (if there are no adult issues involved). Having said that, I would also like to add a little more information about the recent interview of Prayar Gopalakrishnan in Mathurbhumi wherein he said that if women entered the temples, that would be a catastrophe.. it would bring distraction among pilgirms.. violence against women.. etc etc.
With all the information and propaganda peeping in, I think it is time to gear up again with new slogans, new pictures, new hopes. So, let us do it again!
#HappyToBleed #BreakTheCageOfGenderandAge
Happy to bleed will be losers….
A lot of blood will be shed before they win.
The dangerous trend of pitting women against women is gaining ground. Some patriarchal organisations are grooming some indoctrinated women to defend the make hegemony and religious bigotry. This is a vicious campaign of women against women. These male – chauvinist supporting women are lured by hindutva fascists and are given crucial posts. The progressive women must carry out struggle by repulsing male attacks as well as vociferous appeals of women supporting status quo.
Happy to bleed should be successful in countering male as well as female opponents who constantly deride rebellions of religions.