Today In WTF News: Bengaluru Women Are Shamed Online For Legally Buying Alcohol During Lockdown
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
Image: Source: Prajwal Bhat
The lockdown has gotten everyone flustered and looking for ways to just pass the time away until we can all go out safely again. On the 4th of May, Karnataka opened its liquor stores once again and people were elated by the news. Hundreds of Bangaloreans gathered outside liquor stores to get their hands on some much-needed alcohol and some of those were women. I’m sure every woman who drinks has had to endure quite a few judge mental looks from the men around them while buying alcohol. Despite the fact that Bangalore is known for its “pub culture”, women have found it difficult to buy alcohol from shops regardless of whether a lockdown is put into place or not. Even if there are no physical restrictions, it’s very rare to see a lone woman walk into an alcohol shop and purchase booze. Clearly, the idea that women can and will drink legally is a shocker to many even in this day and age. The infamous director, Ram Gopal Varma who is known to invite trouble with his insensitive comments took to Twitter to share his two cents on the matter:
Unnecessary Opinions
Ram Gopal Varma shared an image clicked by a young journalist from a leading daily with the caption, “Look who’s in line at the wine shops …So much for protecting women against drunk men.” Many people were outraged by the director’s derogatory statements and called him out on his misogynistic attitude. The director was clearly mocking the plight of victims of domestic violence and people whose partners suffer from alcoholism. In a reply to RGV’s tweet, the journalist who clicked the image clarified that it was shared without his permission.
One of the people who were outraged at Ram Gopal Varma for his insensitive tweets was singer, Sona Mohapatra. The talented songstress tweeted out, “Dear Mr RGV,time for u to get into the line of people who desperately need a real education. 1 that lets u understand why this tweet of yours reeks of sexism & misplaced morality. Women have a right to buy & consume alcohol just like men. No one has a right to be drunk & violent.”
Source: Twitter
One Twitter user sarcastically commented, “Omg, how dare women drink alcohol and also expect drunk men to not abuse them? Don’t they know, a woman has to be at her best fu***ng behavior at all times in order to not lure men to commit crimes against her? Like times aren’t hard enough already for a man!” The director was dragged by several people on the social media website, with many calling his opinions irrelevant and illogical. Many also pointed out that it is men who get drunk and violent and you rarely hear of incidents where women get drunk and go home to beat up their husbands.
People were quick to notice the double standards in Ram Gopal Varma’s tweets and let him know their thoughts. Many people asked how drinking was suddenly a birthright of men and why women were being shamed over it. Some even stated that there was a huge difference between enjoying a drink or two and getting drunk and being rowdy. A few Twitter users even pointed out that those women might not even be buying liquor for themselves but for their husbands and other family members. The point of the matter is that it’s 2020 and we should stop shaming people for drinking alcohol, regardless of their gender. Of course, if someone is misbehaving under the influence, the right action should be taken against them but if they’re just buying booze, there is no need to shame them.
Is Opening Liquor Shops A Good Idea?
Many individuals believe that opening liquor stores will cause an even bigger rise in cases of domestic violence. As it is, there has been a steady rise in the number of domestic violence cases since the Lockdown was put into place. Celebrities like Javed Akhtar took to Twitter to explain why they believe it’s a bad idea. The poet and screenwriter tweeted about how he believes that if the government opens liquor shops during the lockdown, it will have bad results. He added that there had been an increase in the amount of domestic violence cases and that adding liquor into the mix will make things even more difficult for women and their children (1).
Malaika Arora took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the matter. The actress expressed disappointment to see long queues outside liquor stores and asked her followers about the need to open liquor stores in such a hurry. Malaika stated that liquor stores aren’t even a necessity and she believes it’s a bad idea as it will encourage domestic violence.
Well, we’re not judging if they should be open or not. But if they are, women and men have equal rights to get their drink without having to feel ashamed of it. It’s ridiculous that women are being shamed in this day and age for choosing to purchase liquor. It’s 2020 and as long as the person consuming alcohol is above the age limit and behaving modestly, nobody should have a problem with their drinking habits or lack thereof. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
