It’s been years since women across the world have been fighting against gender roles and stereotypes. Different people have varied ideas regarding what liberates a woman.
For example, nutrition expert Rujuta Diwekar took to Twitter to post pictures of herself grinding chutney and added a caption which read: “When you grow up around women who worry about how finely the chutney is crushed and not how tiny they can get to squeeze into a dress, you grow up to be a liberated woman.”
Have a look at the tweet here:
When you grow up around women who worry about how finely the chutney is crushed and not how tiny they can get to squeeze into a dress, you grow up to be a liberated woman. pic.twitter.com/fkqAle3FlF
— Rujuta Diwekar (@RujutaDiwekar) July 16, 2020
And what can I say, people on the internet were left disappointed. Many went on to school her on gender roles, stereotypes, and the fact that women’s liberation is a much larger issue that making fine chutney.
Nothing says liberated woman like slaving over onions and garlic wondering why your worth has been reduced to how fine you can squash veggies https://t.co/hTy1lAh2zW
— Daribha (@tribalations) July 16, 2020
When will we stop romanticising & celebrating women's unpaid labour in the kitchen? https://t.co/y4d8m7NsGv
— Ajita Banerjie (@AjitaBanerjie) July 17, 2020
This zero-sum mentality is weird. It's like you can't empower one "section" of women without bringing down another "section" which is totally bollocks. https://t.co/ArUud5D9X9
— A (@_adwait98) July 17, 2020
I grew up with women that bothered with neither. They worried about water shortage, power cut, lack of childcare, and job security. I grew up to be survivor. Liberation came later. https://t.co/Hujs9g70xs
— Malarăsculat (@caselchris1) July 16, 2020
When you grow up around women who worry about the character & integrity of their children, who tell you that your worth is not dependent on what dress you fit into, and the importance of being financially independent, you grow up to be a liberated woman. https://t.co/CefVU2hWlK
— Larissa Fernand (@larissafernand) July 16, 2020
Making a chutney makes you liberated and women with a dream of fitting into some size makes her not… Isn't the stereotypes you want to fight, moulded you into one?
— Masala Chai (@masala_chaii) July 16, 2020
Finely crushed chutney = liberated woman??? -> #ennakodumaisir https://t.co/MwnkEFZYnK
— ShyamSundar (@kdreamz) July 16, 2020
What has women’s liberation got to do with this chutney making business?
I never ever made a chutney like this, or even tried to.
Is it time for me to reassess my liberation now?This post does nothing but reenforce some dumb stereotypes that should be long left behind.
— 🌈 شہناز سید (@hopelesschirp) July 16, 2020
Neither a chutney crushing nor a 0 size dressing can make u liberated.
It's the freedom from stereotypes such as mentioned by you, liberates you !
You clearly need a lesson or 2.
— Puja Ibadat Kaur Williams (@DConquered) July 16, 2020
To be liberated means to be free, to be free means to have economic freedom, to have economic freedom usually means a good education. A good education means enlightened parents. We can solve this problem in one generation if we put our minds to it. We can enjoy the chutney then
— Brouhaha (@masterofhind) July 16, 2020
Ironically women in India are advised often not to use modern household items like Mixie grinder, washing machine and vaccum cleaner and do household chores in traditional way as shown in your tweet so that they stay in shape and they will be priced commodity in marriage market.
— Antony Idhaya Amalan_L (@26rose1) July 17, 2020
That's what you call 'liberated'? Oh.
— Adrija Bose (@adrijabose) July 16, 2020
Today I learnt the mixie is a tool of the patriarchy. @viji_innerworld why were you busy being an academic instead of finely grinding chillies on the ammikkal? It's all your fault that I have grown up to be subjugated by a world of instant food processing. https://t.co/cxF8gicgwD pic.twitter.com/NW9SXHBLDr
— Madhura Balasubramaniam (@MadhuraB_) July 17, 2020
At my home the rules are if my mother makes the morning tea my father makes the breakfast. If my mother cooks the daal then my father or I had to cook the rice. My mother is not here to give her free labour to my father & me to feel liberated. She has no time for this. https://t.co/D0bQmTClN3
— Sayantan Ghosh (@sayantan_gh) July 17, 2020
Girl, are you a chutney? Coz imma gonna crush on you so fine, you gonna to feel liberated. https://t.co/ARPnydz8iP
— Extremely Polite and Understated Normie (@coke_moonu) July 17, 2020
The only thing women should worry about is how finely they can crush the patriarchy. 🤡 https://t.co/y4d8m7NsGv
— Ajita Banerjie (@AjitaBanerjie) July 17, 2020
All those who are offended should look at it like this:
This conveys a deeper meaning.
Work on your skills rather than looks.
Invest in things that benefit your long term rather than short term dilusions.— HUMAN (@tathasthuu) July 16, 2020
What liberates a woman? There is no right answer. Different women feel liberated by different things. No two women have to do the same thing to feel empowered.
The more important thing to consider here is giving women the choice to do the things that make her feel liberated and also, not pitting one kind of women against the other.