India’s Great Wall of Equality
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Last year was a watershed for gender
relations. The #MeToo movement rocked
establishments around the world, forcing
even powerful men to face public scrutiny
for their behaviour toward women. But,
despite a patriarchal backlash, the
movement shows no signs of abating:
on 1 January 2019, in the Indian state
of Kerala, an estimated five million women
formed a human chain – or ‘women’s wall’
– stretching nearly 400 miles across the length
of the state, to demonstrate their commitment to the
fight for gender equality.
relations. The #MeToo movement rocked
establishments around the world, forcing
even powerful men to face public scrutiny
for their behaviour toward women. But,
despite a patriarchal backlash, the
movement shows no signs of abating:
on 1 January 2019, in the Indian state
of Kerala, an estimated five million women
formed a human chain – or ‘women’s wall’
– stretching nearly 400 miles across the length
of the state, to demonstrate their commitment to the
fight for gender equality.
One cannot overstate the symbolic power
of the women’s wall, which included more
than one-third of Kerala state’s entire female
population over the age of six – about two
million more people that even its organisers
had anticipated. The event had the backing
of the state government, but it owes its
success to the engagement of a variety of groups
and organisations, not to mention the individual
women who participated.
of the women’s wall, which included more
than one-third of Kerala state’s entire female
population over the age of six – about two
million more people that even its organisers
had anticipated. The event had the backing
of the state government, but it owes its
success to the engagement of a variety of groups
and organisations, not to mention the individual
women who participated.
Those women came from all strata of society.
There were doctors, lawyers, teachers,
students, nuns, domestic workers, agricultural
labourers, wage workers, and homemakers.
There were Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.
There were mothers holding babies, young
girls, and elderly women who could barely
stand, resting on others for support. In many
areas, there were also chains of the women’s
male allies,
standing across the road from them in solidarity.
There were doctors, lawyers, teachers,
students, nuns, domestic workers, agricultural
labourers, wage workers, and homemakers.
There were Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.
There were mothers holding babies, young
girls, and elderly women who could barely
stand, resting on others for support. In many
areas, there were also chains of the women’s
male allies,
standing across the road from them in solidarity.
The women’s wall snaked through towns and
cities, along highways and village roads,
all the way from Kasaragod in the north to
Thiruvananthapuram,
the state capital,
in the south. In some stretches, there were
so many women that they formed three or
four columns. All of these women stood
together, shoulder to shoulder, and
made a pledge: ‘We will uphold Renaissance
values, we will stand for equality for women,
we will resist attempts to make Kerala a
lunatic asylum, and we will fight for
secularism.’
cities, along highways and village roads,
all the way from Kasaragod in the north to
Thiruvananthapuram,
the state capital,
in the south. In some stretches, there were
so many women that they formed three or
four columns. All of these women stood
together, shoulder to shoulder, and
made a pledge: ‘We will uphold Renaissance
values, we will stand for equality for women,
we will resist attempts to make Kerala a
lunatic asylum, and we will fight for
secularism.’
The ‘renaissance values’ to which the
women referred are those of Indian social
reformers from the early twentieth century,
who were committed to upholding
secularism, ending gender discrimination,
and eliminating casteism. The ‘lunatic
asylum’ refers to a statement made in
1892 by the Hindu revivalist monk
Vivekananda, who called Kerala a
‘madhouse’ of caste-based discrimination.
women referred are those of Indian social
reformers from the early twentieth century,
who were committed to upholding
secularism, ending gender discrimination,
and eliminating casteism. The ‘lunatic
asylum’ refers to a statement made in
1892 by the Hindu revivalist monk
Vivekananda, who called Kerala a
‘madhouse’ of caste-based discrimination.
Banned from the temple
Given the issue that triggered the women’s
wall in the first place, it is an apt reference.
Beyond serving as a condemnation of
patriarchy in Kerala (and India more broadly),
the women’s wall was intended as a sharp
rebuke to opponents of a recent decision
by India’s Supreme Court to permit women enter a
much-revered temple to the god Ayyappa (Vishnu) on a hill
in Sabarimala.
wall in the first place, it is an apt reference.
Beyond serving as a condemnation of
patriarchy in Kerala (and India more broadly),
the women’s wall was intended as a sharp
rebuke to opponents of a recent decision
by India’s Supreme Court to permit women enter a
much-revered temple to the god Ayyappa (Vishnu) on a hill
in Sabarimala.
Women between menarche and menopause
were previously barred from the temple,
supposedly to uphold tradition, based on
the deeply antiquated belief that
menstruating women were ‘impure.’
But keeping women out of the Sabarimala
temple is not actually traditional at all: women of all
ages regularly entered the establishment until 1991,
when a court decision banned them.
were previously barred from the temple,
supposedly to uphold tradition, based on
the deeply antiquated belief that
menstruating women were ‘impure.’
But keeping women out of the Sabarimala
temple is not actually traditional at all: women of all
ages regularly entered the establishment until 1991,
when a court decision banned them.
After a challenging year, the women’s wall stands as a
potent symbol of possibility.
This blatantly sexist prohibition amounted,
the Supreme Court ruled, to a violation of
the basic principles of India’s constitution.
And it has much in common with the appalling
‘untouchability’ system, whereby low-caste people
have been blocked from entering temples, as well as
from, say, drinking from the same water source as
those of the upper castes.
Yet the Supreme Court’s decision has
triggered widespread protests. Both of
India’s big national parties – the Bharatiya
janata Party, which controls the national
government, and the Congress party –
have cynically exploited this backlash,
and have been accused of
orchestrating violence and aggression by agitators
demanding that Kerala’s
government refrain from implementing
the Court’s ruling.
triggered widespread protests. Both of
India’s big national parties – the Bharatiya
janata Party, which controls the national
government, and the Congress party –
have cynically exploited this backlash,
and have been accused of
orchestrating violence and aggression by agitators
demanding that Kerala’s
government refrain from implementing
the Court’s ruling.
Even the Congress party’s Shashi Tharoor,
a typically liberal member of parliament from Kerala,
declared it ‘an unnecessary,
provocative act’ when two women
managed to exercise their right to
enter the shrine the morning after
the women’s wall. As for the temple
priest, he closed the site briefly after
their visit to carry out a ‘purification ritual.’
a typically liberal member of parliament from Kerala,
declared it ‘an unnecessary,
provocative act’ when two women
managed to exercise their right to
enter the shrine the morning after
the women’s wall. As for the temple
priest, he closed the site briefly after
their visit to carry out a ‘purification ritual.’
The symbolism of the women’s wall
Of course, gender inequality is pervasive across India.
The country ranks low in most measures of women’s
empowerment, including formal labour-force participation,
assets owned, and nutrition. Violence against women is
rampant. In Kerala, despite high female literacy rates and
strong human-development indicators, relatively few women
participate in paid work.
The country ranks low in most measures of women’s
empowerment, including formal labour-force participation,
assets owned, and nutrition. Violence against women is
rampant. In Kerala, despite high female literacy rates and
strong human-development indicators, relatively few women
participate in paid work.
Even so, the unabashed and vehement misogyny displayed
in response to the Supreme Court decision stands out. That
is why displays of unity and commitment to equality like the
women’s wall are not just uplifting, but also vitally important
to India’s future.
in response to the Supreme Court decision stands out. That
is why displays of unity and commitment to equality like the
women’s wall are not just uplifting, but also vitally important
to India’s future.
After a challenging year, the women’s wall stands as a
potent symbol of possibility. Women will, the event made
clear, lead the struggle for their own emancipation –
thereby liberating all of society.
potent symbol of possibility. Women will, the event made
clear, lead the struggle for their own emancipation –
thereby liberating all of society.
(c) Project Syndicate
