The National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (nirt)
in Chennai, India, is approximately 13 kms from my parents' house.
Riding home on my trusted 2nd hand TVS Scooty (motorized two-wheeler)
one evening. Monsoon season. Pouring all afternoon, the rain had stopped
now. The setting sun was out but the signs of rain were everywhere,
especially in the many road puddles. Light traffic. Unremarkable journey
until I reach RK Mutt Road.
At a traffic light, an auto rickshaw truck pulls up next to me. An auto rickshaw truck is a rickshaw repurposed for transporting cargo. Three men in front, squished together on the narrow driver's seat. Light turns green and we're off, riding side-by-side for about a kilometer until we approach a puddle in the middle of the road. I slow down and move to avoid it but the auto rickshaw deliberately drives towards and into it. Drenching me head to toe, the rickshaw speeds off.
Nice execution of their puerile act but poor choice of target. I wasn't going to let them get away with that. Helps that traffic is light. My trusted Scooty gives chase, catching up with them at the intersection with Greenways Road. As we approach, luckily for me a traffic policeman is on duty. Another piece of luck, light turns red as we approach. Immediately I pull up and turn my Scooty across the front of the auto rickshaw, shout to the cop to catch his attention, shut off my motor, get off and park. Cop approaches, asks what's going on. Point to self, drenched head to toe, explain what happened to me. One of the guys gets out and starts to argue. I point to myself and ask how it happened that I'm drenched. It's clear I'm not backing off. I insist to the cop he write them a ticket at the very least. He starts admonishing them. I thank him, get on my Scooty and head home, leaving them to it.
I don't know if the cop actually issued them a ticket, or even if there was a traffic violation that covered what they did to me. I wanted to teach them that they weren't going to get away with their harassment. That happened with the cop questioning and admonishing them in front of me.
Luck was certainly on my side during this incident. Light traffic, red light, traffic cop. I recognize that. Yet doesn't this story start and end with choices? Revealing choices. These men chose to use their vehicle to bully and endanger a woman on the road. Why did they do it? The status quo. I chose to not accept that status quo. What status quo? A culture where the norm is that the rank and file of women, targets of public harassment, don't push back. It's patriarchy in full ugly bloom. Accept abuse and it becomes the norm. As simple as that. Where does this attitude start? It starts at home.
No one can lead a life of dignity if we deny agency to each other. Dignity, and the role of choice and agency. Live and let live, not live on your or my terms. Lessons every parent needs to teach each and every child. This is how we vanquish the demon of patriarchy.
https://tirumalaikamala.quora.com/Dignity-and-patriarchy-are-oil-and-water-and-never-the-twain-shall-meet
At a traffic light, an auto rickshaw truck pulls up next to me. An auto rickshaw truck is a rickshaw repurposed for transporting cargo. Three men in front, squished together on the narrow driver's seat. Light turns green and we're off, riding side-by-side for about a kilometer until we approach a puddle in the middle of the road. I slow down and move to avoid it but the auto rickshaw deliberately drives towards and into it. Drenching me head to toe, the rickshaw speeds off.
Nice execution of their puerile act but poor choice of target. I wasn't going to let them get away with that. Helps that traffic is light. My trusted Scooty gives chase, catching up with them at the intersection with Greenways Road. As we approach, luckily for me a traffic policeman is on duty. Another piece of luck, light turns red as we approach. Immediately I pull up and turn my Scooty across the front of the auto rickshaw, shout to the cop to catch his attention, shut off my motor, get off and park. Cop approaches, asks what's going on. Point to self, drenched head to toe, explain what happened to me. One of the guys gets out and starts to argue. I point to myself and ask how it happened that I'm drenched. It's clear I'm not backing off. I insist to the cop he write them a ticket at the very least. He starts admonishing them. I thank him, get on my Scooty and head home, leaving them to it.
I don't know if the cop actually issued them a ticket, or even if there was a traffic violation that covered what they did to me. I wanted to teach them that they weren't going to get away with their harassment. That happened with the cop questioning and admonishing them in front of me.
Luck was certainly on my side during this incident. Light traffic, red light, traffic cop. I recognize that. Yet doesn't this story start and end with choices? Revealing choices. These men chose to use their vehicle to bully and endanger a woman on the road. Why did they do it? The status quo. I chose to not accept that status quo. What status quo? A culture where the norm is that the rank and file of women, targets of public harassment, don't push back. It's patriarchy in full ugly bloom. Accept abuse and it becomes the norm. As simple as that. Where does this attitude start? It starts at home.
No one can lead a life of dignity if we deny agency to each other. Dignity, and the role of choice and agency. Live and let live, not live on your or my terms. Lessons every parent needs to teach each and every child. This is how we vanquish the demon of patriarchy.
https://tirumalaikamala.quora.com/Dignity-and-patriarchy-are-oil-and-water-and-never-the-twain-shall-meet
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