Kerala men have never shied away from exhibiting their male chauvinism and Tuesday was testimony to that.
On the occasion of Valentine's Day, two separate incidents in two educational institutions in Kerala, proved beyond any doubt how the narrative of Valentine's Day is centered around men exerting their privilege by trying to "woo" women.
An all-women’s college, St Teresa’s in Ernakulam, saw several male students of the Government Law College situated nearby barge into the campus to “celebrate” Valentine's Day.
In their excitement to express their long-suppressed (oppressed, repressed, depressed) love, the students bypassed the security guards at the gate and loudly announced their presence.
While the men’s “performance” was met with howls of protest from some female students, many played along, accepting the flowers and smiling coyly, while others looked away.
Some decided to make things more interesting by dressing up as women. Oh how humorous and original, don't you think?
Cut to CUSAT college in Ernakulam’s Kalamassery and the scene was not much different there.
Speaking to a regional television channel, one of men who claimed affiliation to the “Society of Broken Souls” said that 14 February was a day to let out their sorrow.
While the officials of CUSAT were unavailable for comment, TNM spoke to a faculty member of St Teresa’s college about the matter, who said that the episode was only “a harmless gesture.”
Why do we think such instances are normal and harmless?
Anu Pappachan, a faculty member at Vimala College in Thrissur, feels that men in Kerala have always exerted their chauvinism and Valentines’ Day is just another day when it becomes prominent.
This explains why several regional media outlets too, chose to romanticize the incidents, as the “rendezvous” of “Romeos” on Valentine's Day.
Why is men dressed in women’s clothes, “imitating” women’s gestures and walking around seductively in revealing clothes funny?
Anu feels many girl students do not realize that these are the kind of things they should be taking offence to.
B Arundhati, social activist and a research scholar at University of Hyderabad feels that many women are conditioned to glorify male chauvinism and accept that as normal.
(This article has been published in an arrangement with The News Minute. The article has been edited for length.)
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