We’ve all seen the wholesome video of a man dancing to “Agay Dekh” at a cricket stadium at Karachi, and we must admit it made us smile a lot because its rare that such events exude such excitement from our audiences. But at the same time, would we laugh if this was a woman who was dancing publicly this same way?
Twitter raised this question when the video reached social media, by reminding the rest of us that women would face even more scrutiny and threats if they were dancing without a care in front of the camera the way this man had, and this is something we wish would change.
Expressions of pure joy that are public and collective are always lovely. I hope women too can enjoy this privilege someday soon in Pakistan. https://t.co/kymAMi16gB
— T a z e e n تزئین (@tazeen) January 30, 2022
if a woman did this, the entire country would’ve been on fire https://t.co/IqA3KJT6Qc
— the blue moon enby (@breadjeenie) January 31, 2022
I want to enjoy this but I’m honestly at a point in my life where I can’t help be bitter and resentful that women don’t get to have fun in public without consequences. If this was a woman she would be getting death threats. https://t.co/DGnSxcrnhq
— Sarah Khan (@_sarahkhan) January 31, 2022
It’s great to see men enjoying themselves and dancing their heart out without a worry in the world. Can we do the same for women and not hate or police them for reclaiming public spaces to express joy and celebrate solidarity? Thnx #AuratAzadiMarch https://t.co/gYcg8rgXEb pic.twitter.com/myLeSxR4br
— maria. (@marriya_malik) January 31, 2022
Every day we do get to witness how sexist double standards allow men to receive basic freedoms like dancing in public without a care, or even walk out at night without fearing they will be kidnapped or raped. Women cannot see themselves doing the same act without fearing that they will lose the limited freedom that they already have. Especially with a sport like cricket which has been considered as male-dominant for a long time, women are publicly marginalized from participating in the sport or even faced sexist treatment like the controversy surrounding sports journalist Zainab Abbas when she had to step behind cricketer Mohammad Rizwan because he refused to look at her to answer her questions.
So men must understand this isn’t simply just a matter of women refusing to take interest in public activities or sports, but they are actively discouraged from participating in it because our culture hates a woman who walks outside freely and doesn’t allow other people to control her decisions. This was a response twitter user Eman had to Shoaib Akhtar, when he said that male cricketers were smart because they had grown up playing the game in the streets which had taught them innovation and the ability to adapt.
so u agree? that the rapid progress in men’s cricket is fueled by street cricket? and that development in women’s cricket in pak is hindered not only bec of administrative issues and negligence but also bec of girls’/women’s exclusion from public spaces n the activities within? https://t.co/zoXanWGiLm
— eman (@exharrie) April 18, 2021
Imagine the heights the women in our country would be able to reach if they were also given as much freedom as men to spend nights outside and do what they desire. So please let’s stop putting them down for doing the bare minimum like even dancing in a street when we would applaud men for doing the same!
