I came across Seema Goswami’s hard-hitting description of “The sexist underbelly of Indian politics” only today, ten days after it first appeared. The story vividly highlights horrifying instances of sexual harassment and sexist language and behaviour to which women contesting the ongoing elections have been subjected, often by fellow politicians, but also by members of the public. Goswami points out that some female politicians are also guilty of making sexist remarks about women colleagues. The only false note in the article is Goswami’s apparently uncritical use of the rather worn cliche about women being their own worst enemies, which didn’t quite fit the style and substance of the rest of the piece.
Ammu Joseph
