Shehla was labeled ‘regressive’, ‘a hypocrite’ and what not by nasty trolls.
Seeking blessings of people in Ganderbal. https://t.co/KfLmWeMAPj
— Shehla Rashid شہلا رشید (@Shehla_Rashid) 1552651625000
Here’s how trolls attacked her:
Aazadi gone wrong… #ShehlaRashid #TFIUVaach https://t.co/BNaPCO4mQ9
— Chowkidar TFI (@FrustIndian) 1552895100000
It is amazing to see @Shehla_Rashid campaign with her head covered…what happened to that “Akeli awara azad” narrative?
— Vishakha Joshi (@VishakhaJ18) 1552897019000
@Shehla_Rashid Next Picture releasing soon ????? https://t.co/D5AmNc5AyA
— rahul kushwaha (@rahul14rk) 1552915460000
So you can’t launch a political party in Kashmir without covering your head. Bloody regressive Sanghis. https://t.co/oRK6FJf0kA
— Divya (@divya_16_) 1552873189000
It is extremely patriarchal and sexist to target women for their choice of clothes and/or headgear. It is not unknown that the world is unfair to women on many levels; they are trolled when they choose to dress bold, and they are not spared when they choose clothes that do not reveal.
Will these trolls issue a dress code that women must follow so that they are not at the receiving end of vile and chauvinist remarks every time they step out? Oh wait! These creatures might just say yes. It is important to remind them “Do not tell women what to do”, and that they are no one to dictate anything to women. What they choose to wear/not wear is their business.
Shehla has every right to wear what she is comfortable in.
To draw a parallel, no one seems to question say, an Assaduddin Owaisi, for donning a skull cap. Why? Because, patriarchy!
Men, in this world, can practically do whatever they want to and no one attacks their choices. It is women who bear the wrath of sexist trolls venting their life’s frustration on social media platforms.
This doesn’t mean all of those who are trolling Shehla are men. There are women at it too. Women who should have stood by Shehla and condemned those who are targeting her. If women don’t respect choices of their own brethren, how will men come to do so?
Some trolls accused Shehla of hypocrisy for calling out so called “regression” of Hindu culture — women wearing ‘ghoonghat’ — but doing the same as a Muslim woman.
Karwa Chauth is regressive, Pallu is Hypocricy, Holi is “semened”, Diwali Pollutes, Lekin Hijab is tehjeeb! What h… https://t.co/J0CGfEwWMo
— Chowkidar Dp Banna (@Purohitdilip4) 1552934805000
When @Shehla_Rashid is talking to hindu girls in delhi she teaches all type of exploiting the hindu culture ideolo… https://t.co/TkrR4tOpLY
— Chowkidar Abhimanyu Rao (@abhirao) 1553065242000
Let’s be factual. What Shehla wore on her head cannot be technically called hijab. For the uninitiated, hijab is a veil that usually covers entire head and chest of women.
What Shehla wore was just a scarf. It was probably worn out of respect for the occasion or due to the cold weather in Srinagar. Or hell, she wore it because she wanted to!
But these trolls, filled with hatred, will not care about all this. They only want to pull an inspirational woman down.