The incident of a young man’s misbehavior with actress Aparna Balamurali has become a major topic of discussion. It is widely believed that touching someone’s body without their consent is extremely intolerable and criminal. Ernakulam Govt expressed regret and apologized for the incident. The College of Law Union came to the scene. The incident happened to the actress by one of the students. The leader of MSF, Fatima Tehlia, is on the spot expressing support for the actress.
Fatima Tehlia writes on Facebook that I do not allow anyone to enter the surface of my mind, not my body. Whether she is a film actress, a politician or a public figure, how ‘public’ can she be to you? They ask when those who normalize everything, call themselves civilized and advocate for gender neutrality, respect the privacy of others beyond their own freedom.
Full version of the note: I don’t allow anyone to enter my intimate space, not my body. If someone tries to do that, I try to catch them and throw them out and openly express my displeasure. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. I think that women who do that generally find it impossible to even do that without injuring themselves. Therefore, we must train ourselves to recognize and respect the privacy of others wisely. Herein lies the importance of making our women strong and responsive.
Shame on those who justify trespassing on someone else’s body without permission. Even once comes the odd advice not to do that to strangers. What a debate. How can you enter the space of someone you don’t like even if you know each other? Whether she’s a film actress, a politician, or a public figure, how ‘public’ do you think she is?
Even the slogan ‘we can go beyond our bodies’ without considering the will and interest of others is dangerous. A man has a measuring stick in his hand to identify the connections and interests of individuals. It’s about respect, recognition and care. When do those who normalize everything, call themselves civilized and advocate for gender neutrality, respect the privacy of others over their own freedom?
