In India, patriarchy frequently keeps showing its ugly head by targeting anything that a woman is wearing. Just this year, a Kolkata girl was harassed for wearing jeans and a top. Andhra Pradesh went a step further and put a ban on nighties.
And just in case these misogynistic Indians were feeling lonely on the top, they’ve no reason to worry. That’s because Australian misogynists are on their way to join them.
Australian journalist Patricia Karvelas recently put out a photo of herself in her professional outfit. And attached with it was a message that was truly disconcerting to read in 2018.
I have just been kicked out of #QT because you can allegedly see too much skin. His insane #Auspol pic.twitter.com/51KipESXlG
— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 3, 2018
“I have just been kicked out of #QT because you can allegedly see too much skin. His insane #Auspol”
For those of you who don’t know what Question Time (QT) is, here’s a little primer. Question Time is a practice followed by mostly Commonwealth countries, where the members of the parliament question the government ministers (including the PM). And Karvelas was attending one of those sessions for ABC News.
This is my controversial outfit #auspol pic.twitter.com/8Ve0ZTYEtl
— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 3, 2018
The incident soon garnered attention and Australian women from various works of life started posting pics of their arms, to stand in solidarity with Patricia.
Lucky my bare arms and I were only teaching teenagers today and not in the press gallery… @PatsKarvelas pic.twitter.com/nAzSgDG8cV
— Elizabeth Saunders 👩🏼🔬 (@E_R_Saunders) December 3, 2018
Try this on for size then! pic.twitter.com/RTAYus3WfE
— colsi (@thecolsi) December 3, 2018
Off to work. Not getting into question time today. #auspol @PatsKarvelas pic.twitter.com/2ucgTpkg0f
— juliascott (@juliascott) December 3, 2018
Ditto pic.twitter.com/rVaihOc12c
— Daisy Turnbull Brown (@MrsDzTB) December 3, 2018
In solidarity with the short sleeve breaker @PatsKarvelas pic.twitter.com/Uxzv0R2JfV
— Emma Husar (@emma_husar) December 4, 2018
Good gods! You've started something, PK! Dare I? Yes Duckies! There it is! #ShowUsSomeArm pic.twitter.com/tatgn5Yrk2
— Plodding Historian📚 (@lke73_historian) December 3, 2018
… to (continue) to wear… pic.twitter.com/jXqAIa9sQQ
— Karen Middleton (@KarenMMiddleton) December 4, 2018
Others pointed out that this so-called ‘rule’ hasn’t been applied on ministers who had attended the parliament, thereby begging the question that why was it being used to stop a journalist from doing her job?
Julie Bishop last Monday. @PatsKarvelas this Monday. pic.twitter.com/HSJlyAzbAR
— Airlie Walsh (@AirlieWalsh) December 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/PhilStefans/status/1069720881520230400
#qt
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/SaJycaOMg8— 🌻💧🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝💧🌻 20 May-World Bee Day (@KBCanB) December 3, 2018
What the hell. Abbott was allowed in wearing this. pic.twitter.com/dXvw8EUy9N
— Stephen #WearAMask 😷 (@TheAviator1992) December 3, 2018
Considering how the the government was facing heat, they came up with a formal apology for their actions against Patricia Karvelas.
Following #QT, the Speaker responded to a question on the standard of dress for journalists in the House Press Gallery. Watch his statement below. pic.twitter.com/qn6ebtAUoU
— Australian House of Representatives (@AboutTheHouse) December 4, 2018
UPDATE | Speaker Tony Smith rules that journalist Patricia Karvelas should not have been removed from question time yesterday. Christopher Pyne then apologises on behalf of his side of the House. #9news #auspol https://t.co/XqfKfSKTbv
— Airlie Walsh (@AirlieWalsh) December 4, 2018
And this was Patricia’s response to it:
Pleased that female journalists will be free to wear professional clothing that reflects what politicians wear. Sensible outcome. #auspol
— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 4, 2018
A person is always defined by their actions and not by how they look or what they’re wearing. And in the 21st century, if any man wants to contest a woman, it should be on the basis of merits, and not through the use of ancient patriarchal laws. Australian women have shown the authorities that there’s no room for misogyny. Let’s hope the rest of the world takes the cue and does the same.