TO THE ‘#ME TOO MOVEMENT’

TO

THE

‘#ME TOO MOVEMENT’

இல்லையென்பாரும்

நன்றி சொல்வார்கள் _

நின்று கொல்லும் 

தெய்வத்திற்கு.

AN OPEN LETTER TO MR.RANGARAJ PANDE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THANTHI TV

AN  OPEN LETTER 

TO MR.RANGARAJ PANDE, 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, 

THNATHI TV

I have always thought of you as a sensible and sensitive anchor Mr.Pandey. but, today the way you interviewed Ms.Chinmayi proved me wrong.

Throughout that one hour interview you had just one question to ask - 'Why hadn't she spoken about it earlier. True, it is a valid question, but, to harp on that one question throughout the interview was coarse and cruel. and, you went on insisting that some woman would just like that name somebody as predator just to shame him, fully overlooking the fact that Ms.Chinmayi has named just this one man in the whole lot of the industry and that any woman naming any man does not have easy acceptance in the society and it would become more detrimental to the woman in question, as things stand today.

you could have asked a lot of meaningful questions like the impact of such psychological burden on a woman, how she can overcome it, what is the role of family in this, along with the redressal cell on the guidelines of Visaka committee what more support systems should be there for the protection of women in their work places and outside.... I can go on and on. But you chose to play the role of defense lawyer arguing the case of Mr.Vairamuthu, all the while insisting that you were not doing so. sad indeed.

THE AFFECTED WOMAN IN QUESTION ACCUSES A BIGWIG AND SAYS THAT HE HAD BEEN USING THE NAME OF A POLITICAL PARTY CHIEF BY WAY OF INTIMIDATING. BUT THE PARTY CONCERNED WHICH HAS WOMEN'S WING AND WORLD RENOWNED WOMEN WRITERS  PREFERS TO KEEP MUM AND NO CHANNEL INCLUDING YOURS FEELS LIKE CALLING THOSE VOCIFEROUS WOMEN IN THAT PARTY TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. SAD INDEED.

Mr.Pandey, you went on asking Ms.Chinmayi, in the manner of cornering her, on the prospect of someone accusing some man just like that and repeatedly brought in your name wondering what if anyone mentions your name just like that as an offender? Imagine me to be the anchor and you the guest. What if I ask, “Why do you keep harping on this possibility? Has anyone mentioned your name as an offender? Why the preemptive mood?' As a guest, how would these questions make you feel? I really want to know.

The oft-repeated question to the victims of sexual harassment at the workplace:

1)WHY DIDN’T YOU REPORT ABOU IT THEN AND THERE?

2)WHY HAVE YOU TAKEN SO LONG TO COME OUT AND SPEAK ABOUT IT?

I have also asked it. But, as a woman I am also able to arrive at some answers:
Young age and the vulnerability associated with it.

WHY DIDN’T YOU REPORT ABOUT IT THEN AND THERE?

·      The Fear of losing one’s job.

·      The fear of facing threats, slander.

·      Lack of support system, both in the family and in the society.

·      The wish to get along with life, with the hope that the world is not full of predators and the hope that one would be able to push the traumatic experience(s) off one’s mind and life.

WHY SPEAKING ABOUT IT NOW?

·      Attaining maturity to reviewing things and deciding what to do with them on your own.

·      Reaching a stage and position where one would be in a position to handle the resulting slander, threat and what not.

·      Better support system in family and society.

·      The realization that however much one tried one couldn’t just bury the trauma and get along with life.

·      The unbearable rage that the affected person feels on seeing the predator held in high esteem in the society and posing as a gentleman, luring more and more hapless women into his trap and with all that leading the life with absolutely no regret for what he has done and what he is doing.

·LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, THE VICTIM SPEAKING ABOUT HER TRAUMA AND ABOUT THE OFFENDER CAN BE THE FACT THAT HE IS STILL AFTER HER, HOUNDING HER, HARRASSING HER.

As the Fourth Pillar of Society the Media, especially the Tamil TV Channels, though they are directly or indirectly owned and controlled by this or that political party, should concentrate on highlighting the issues that hold back the victims of sexual harassment from reporting it, instead of posing questions to the victims in highly intimidating manner. SAD INDEED.

latha ramakrishnan

To My FELLOW POET LEENA MANIMEKALAI,

To My FELLOW POET 

LEENA MANIMEKALAI,

(*Facebook Anaamikaa Rishi)

October 19 at 10:10 PM · 

Dear LEENA,

You are one of the few who is open to dialogue, I know. Many out there in our realm, despite all their tall claims about ‘freedom of speech and expression’ rarely allow others to voice their view on any subject, but nip it in the bud in the name of caste creed colour and what not. Hence I wish to write my impressions on the issue you and others have taken up in right earnest.

First and foremost, I want to record here that I know you to be a forthright person, one who has suffered more terrible slanders than this and had faced them single-handed, with grit and determination. And, even at those terrible times you had your friends and supporters who stood by you, I remember.

As an avid reader of Poetry I know you have penned poignant poems. Though I have not seen movies in the past one decade or so, I know you make meaningful movies with social concern, not like the usual junks minting money, portraying women in a demeaning manner and have the audacity to voice high-sounding words on women empowerment and gender equality and about treating women with the respect due to them.

And, you are not selective like some women from the fraternity who raise their voice against predators of their opposite wing or party but prefer to keep mum when it comes to the predators of their own wing or political party. And I know you are not backed by any political party to be able to say anything and get away with it.

Even in this issue the views expressed by you and Dr.Shalini are refreshingly honest compared to those cliche type articles that are churned out in the name of socio-psychological analysis of the issue at hand. You have spoken about the way the cine-field, especially the main-stream cinema portray women, all too often, if not always, as exhibit pieces and secondary citizens.

Same way Dr.Shalini has spoken against the way the whole issue here is given the colour of ‘upper-class, fair-skinned women coming out and ‘playing the role’ of victim when it is not the case really.

I saw your interview where you were being asked questions about the Me Too Movement and about that ‘psychologically terrifying moment’ that you had suffered at the hands of some X from the film world. The calm and poised manner in which you answered is commendable.

Why keep saying that the whole society is against you? Aren’t there those supporting you? I think they are in sufficient number. Also, when even people like you who have always been open and vocal about social injustices took so much time to muster the courage to speak about these things, is it right on your part to expect all others to come at once and be open about their stand in this issue?

There are one-time offenders and serial offenders. Whatever be the case, the resulting trauma in the psyche of the affected woman is the same. So, it is incorrect on the part of those who expect and insist that the affected woman should distinguish between the two. Why should she?

Yet, a man might have erred when young or once (I want to repeat, I am not taking his side)but now leading the life of a real gentleman. When an accusation against him comes at this stage won’t it affect his family members also, for no fault of theirs?

And, won’t the fact that even brave, outspoken women taking so much time to come out and speak cause a great psychological impact in the minds of young women? Won’t it hinder them from fighting against such injustices then and there?

If the concerned ‘accused’ happens to be a constant offender, won’t he be emboldened to harass more and more hapless women or newcomers to the field if the women suffered at his hands prefer to keep quiet for so long?

Can it be said for sure that no woman would use this opportunity to slander a man against whom she has some grouse? How is the Movement going to weed off such elements?

Also, when women who have come out to speak against go on complaining about social ostracism and victimization _ it is there, true, yet _ won’t it cause fear and apprehension in the minds of young girls and prevent them from fighting against such injustices meted out to them?

Such questions notwithstanding I STAND BY YOU AS SO MANY OTHERS, EXPRESSING MY SOLIDARITY.

My best wishes to your goodself

Latha Ramakrishnan

கவனம் தேவை

கவனம் தேவை

பாலியல் சார் அத்துமீறல்கள் ஒருவருக்கு, குறிப்பாக குழந்தைகளுக்கு, பெண்களுக்கு அவர்களுடைய குடும்ப உறுப்பினர்கள், தெரிந்தவர்களிடமிருந்துதான் அதிகம் ஏற்படுகிறது என்று ஆய்வுகள் சொல்கின்றன என்றாலும் இதை திரும்பத் திரும்ப எல்லாக் குடும்பங்களிலும் நடந்ததாக, நடப்பதாக பொதுப்படை யாகக் கூறிக்கொண்டேயிருப்பது எவ்வளவு தூரம் சரி என்று தெரியவில்லை. 

குழந்தைகள் மனங்களில் இத்தகைய கருத்துகள் எந்தவித முகாந்திரமும் இன்றியே குடும்பத்தினர் மீது வெறுப்பையும் பயத்தையும் நம்பிக்கையிழப்பையும் உருவாக்கிவிடக் கூடும் என்று தோன்றுகிறது.

ME TOO - RAVI SUBRAMANIAN’S POEM in Original Tamil and English Translation

 RAVI SUBRAMANIAN’S POEM

Rendered in English by Latha Ramakrishnan(*First Draft)

(Anaamikaa Rishi, Facebook, October 19 at 12:42 AM · 

ME TOO

 The moment I realized I was thoroughly shaken

I began seething within

As it fell upon me
as the meteor that fell in the well of night
I broke into smithereens

The dagger of terror
piercing through my very life,
I became dumbstruck

Whenever I think of it
screaming like an owl
the sky would convulse
horror would creep
as the millipede with thousand feet

All over the inner nipple
pain unbearable of breast engorgement

As one meeting with an accident
in wicked wilderness
writhing and struggling for release
at those moments of wreckage
trying to shake it all away
shuddering all the way
my memory wept uncontrollably.

Even in moments of exhilaration
It would echo banging within,
turning me terror-stricken.

The fright of nightmare
pursued me like shadow

Though I had not failed in anyway
I keep feeling so all these days

In the name of destiny
I safeguarded the secret across days too many.

It took such a long time
for the signalling light of my defining moment
to dawn

The reined in river surges forward unleashed.

The grief overflowing on those sleepless nights
has ebbed at least this day
Releasing that voice within
heard ever after, vulnerable to the core
my heart managed to recover
some of its composure

Yet questions follow
asking why I choose to tell now.

(Original Poem in Tamil) - Ravi Subramaniyan
நானும்
------நிலைகுலைய வைத்ததை உணர்ந்ததுமே
சிதைந்து குமுறும்படி நேர்ந்துவிட்டது
நள்ளிரவில் விழுந்த எரிகல்லாய் என் மேல் அது விழ உடைந்து சிதறினேன்
திகிலின் கத்தி
உயிர் செருக திக்பிரமை
எப்போது நினைத்தாலும் கோட்டானாய் அலறி
வானம் அதிரும்
ஆயிரம் கால்கள் கொண்ட கம்பளிப்பூச்சாய் ஊரும்
அகக்காம்பெங்கும் பால்கட்டித்தெறிக்கும் வலிகள்
வனாந்திரத்தனிமையில்
விபத்துக்குள்ளானவள் போல்
சீர்குலைந்த கணங்களில் துடித்துத் திமிறியதை
உதறி உதறி அழுதது ஞாபகம்
மகிழ்வின் தருணங்களிலும்
பீதியாய் மோதி எதிரொலிக்கும்
துர்கனவின் திடுக்கிடல் நிழலாய் தொடர்ந்தது
என் தோல்வி ஏதுமில்லையென்றபோதும்
அப்படி உணர்ந்தபடியேயிருந்திருக்கிறேன்
விதியின் பெயரால்
ரகசியம் காத்துநின்றேன்
எனக்கான சமிக்ஞை மின்மினியின் ஒளிதெரியும்
கணம் விடிய இவ்வளவு காலமாயிற்று
கட்டுண்ட நதி திமிறிப் பாய்கிறது
உறக்கமற்ற இரவுகளில் தளும்பிய துக்கம்
இன்றேனும் வடிந்தது
உள்ளுக்குள் சதா கேட்ட நிராதரவின் குரலுக்கு
விடுதலை தந்து சற்றேனும் மனச்சமன்கொண்டேன்
ஆனாலும் நீள்கின்றன கேள்விகள்
இப்போது ஏன் சொல்கிறேனென்று.