5 signs that the women empowerment debate has gone off-track

New Delhi : The month of March was a resurgence of sorts for some claimed feminists. From the character assassination of the Virat-Anushka bond to the Deepika Padukone advertisement, it was like a battle of trebuchets where most commentators didn't quite know who they were firing at. Yet the fire was vast producing enough smoke to vent most mindsets. But are we really progressing in the debate?

Mistaking 'sex' for 'sex'
While the outrage against sexual violence is understandable, the problem of confusing gender with sex is quite damning. It is no surprise then that most debates end where they start.

The 'choice' they make
The portrayal of women rising against a barbaric male majority is quite a misleading idea. The image of Deepika Padukone wrapping a boxing glove around a visibly exhausted man betrays the fact that feminism is after all an idea which is meant to bring mutual respect and not a sense of hostility.

Vogue Empower is a commercial idea
While the idea of a leading actress standing up for women's rights is enthralling, there is little beyond what meets the eye. A visit to their website shows nothing more than fancy photo shoots with the brands of every garment worn by the celebrities listed besides each photograph. Quite inspiring.

The root of the problem is ignored
Schooling is the time where one develops a line of thinking which is likely to persist for a lifetime. The absence of measures to educate and sensitize children makes a existing problem perennial.

The real symbols of empowerment are ignored
Happy Birthday Koneru Humpy