Thread by @sophiaahmed

That time of year when Pakistani men show their colours in their most vilest way.

I don't know agendas, but the fact that women in most desi houses are oppressed in the same of a pseudo religious context & remain achored to a patriarchal mindset needs to be voiced.

Let us talk

There will always be opinions, agendas, controversies but that doesn't take away from the systemic oppression women face daily.

At the workplace, we are sidelined, & spoken over.

We are paid less, not promoted, not given management or board seats.

We face harassment.

In public spaces, no Pakistani woman can escape the glare of men. Those piercing, debauchery filth you can you feel while you walk past.

Not one Pakistani woman in a public space has escaped cat calling, not been touch inappropriately.

We have no defenders of honour then.

We can shroud ourselves in burkas or abayas, or layers of chaddar but they will still find a way to brush pass you in a bazaar or a tung gali or even work, in the elevator or down a staircase.

We can keep our gaze lower all the time but we will know they look at us, how they

Make those noises, & we know what they're imagining.

We know. And this cat & mouse game is shattering.
Is scary. And its perverse for every woman.

So don't tell us, we are discussing a foreign agenda.

Every woman needs to be safe. Not only your women behind safe doors.

And that, they need to be safe within your homes too, and free to live at will & fly at will. To be able to own their lives, to be free of opposition in choosing careers, or education or life partners.

To be free to have a voice. To not be talked over.

To all those men, who are talking of agendas of leadership. The only thing you should do is to be quiet.

We are not dumb. We do not follow you or anyone blindly. We can speak for ourselves and think for ourselves.

Let us ALL talk & be heard