On Saturday, the principal of Government Polytechnic College in Bandra East, Mumbai issued two notices that demarcated separate seating areas for men and women in the cafeteria “to curb eve teasing”.
They were not so much issued, as stuck on two pillars with red threads marking boundaries in the cafeteria; and they were not so much notices as a ‘code of ethics’ for women.
We trekked down to see the situation for ourselves. Even though no formal order has been issued by the authorities barring the students from talking to the press, as is often the case in situations like these, the students were still skeptical to put a name or a face to their opinion. On the conditions of anonymity, a few female students answered our questions on what they think about the hard-to-miss sexist rules.
On Segregation to “Curb Eve-Teasing”
Principal Swati Deshpande is of the opinion that separating male and female seating spaces in the common eating areas will reduce the chances of sexual harassment. Explaining the development, she said: “One such incident had been reported to the police in October. Also, the canteen is shared by many government offices. The girls did not have any separate seating area. Therefore, we decided to divide the canteen. There have been no complaints.”
The students on the new seating arrangement:
We are also in shock because we found out just two days ago, out of the blue. Anyway, it doesn’t make any sense because in class, men and women sit together, we’re friends, we share notes. She (the principal) has always been a little strict so we didn’t disobey the notice because we didn’t want to get in trouble, when we can meet our friends and classmates later.Student, Government Polytechnic College
I guess she’s also just concerned about our safety. There were some complaints of misbehaviour earlier, where the police got involved.Student, Government Polytechnic College
Yes, we share our cafeteria with men who are our classmates also. But the staff from the government offices has a separate mess on the first floor above ours. They mostly go there only. But ma’am is just doing her job as a principal, I think. They have to be a little strict about these things.Student, Government Polytechnic College
You Are What You Wear?
To make matters worse, Deshpande has some curious thoughts about the effect on women of wearing what we call ‘male clothing’, that is, the current uniform: everyone wears a white shirt with black pants. So from the next semester, she plans to change it for something more “suitable” for women.
On the upcoming uniform change from the next academic year:
Our uniform is also going to change from next semester to salwar kameez for women. And it’s compulsory. It’s going to to be terrible in the summer now; so sticky it’ll feel.Student, Government Polytechnic College
We’re all against it. I don’t want to have to wear a salwar kameez everyday. A shirt and pant is more comfortable.Student, Government Polytechnic College
According to Desphande, some women suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOD) from an earlier age because they dress like men. The medical condition occurs due to an increase in the level of the male hormone, testosterone, in a woman’s body.
“When they dress like men, they start thinking or behaving like them.There is a gender role reversal in their head. Due to this, the natural urge to reproduce diminishes right from a young age and therefore they suffer from problems like PCOD,” she said, speaking to Times of India.
On Swati Deshpande’s theory that dressing like a man leads to PCOD in women:
We don’t really have a student council, so there’s not much communication between us and her. So I found out about this through the media. Earlier I thought she’s changing it for our safety, but now I don’t understand how wearing pants will make me more like a man.Student, Government Polytechnic College
It doesn’t work like that. What a girl wears or does not wear has no effect on who she is. And why does anyone else care what she wears, as long as she’s in uniform?Student, Government Polytechnic College
It’s the first time she’s said something that differentiates between men and women like this. Otherwise, there’s no such discrimination. She’s a good principal.Student, Government Polytechnic College
I don’t know whether what she’s saying is correct or not, but she does want to change our uniform. We’ve been informally asked to not keep our hair open and braid it, and untuck our shirts. It’s changing to a salwar kameez soon.Student, Government Polytechnic College
Almost all the women in the college premises were walking around with their shirts untucked. When we tried to contact the college authorities, we were told that the principal was not giving comments to the press at this time. She plans to enforce these rules in a code of conduct booklet, starting next semester.
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