Feminism in lighter vein
“If I can’t laugh, I don’t want to be a part of your revolution.” And thus began the celebration of feminists amid oodles of laughter, spontaneous singing and dancing. There were moments of self-deprecation that saw them crackle as they cracked jokes on themselves.
At the re-launch of the Feminist Joke Book by women’s rights activist Kamla Bhasin of Jagori at the India Habitat Centre recently, the young and the old sang the songs of women power. The evening saw the release of the Hindi title of the book Hasna to Sangharshon Mein Bhi Zaroori Hai (It’s important to laugh in struggles as well). The paperback contains jokes and one-liners about gender and stereotyping. along with powerful illustrations.
“Khud pe nahin hanse toh kya hansay,” Kamla announced, as she got on to the stage and set the mood for the memorable evening. She began reading out from the book. “What is the biggest cause of divorce? It’s marriage”. “And before marriage, I would sink in his arms. But after marriage, my arms are in his sink”. Another one: “We don’t just want copper-T, we also want property.”
She added, “The feminist struggle isn’t going to be a short one, so we can’t have long faces,” she said. “Patriarchy can’t stand laughing women. Laughing woman is a free woman. She is a fearless woman,” she said.
Stressing how humour is the right tool for the fighting feminists, she recalled watching a play by Pakistani women that poked fun at the imposition of Sharia law by then President Zia-ul-Haq. One of the laws said that the testimony of one man was equal to that of two women.
“There was a hilarious skit with two policewomen. One had a gun and a cap, the other the bullets and belt. The policewomen complained that no one followed their orders unless they gave the orders together.
Humour works very well in places where there is limited political space to speak,” says Kamla. College girls sang strummed guitar, while others joined chorus for the folk songs. Another highlight of the event was a satirical piece by thespian Sohaila Kapoor and a Sufi performance by singer Sonam Kalra.
The evening concluded at a revolutionary note with Mumbai-based Swaang band, who along with actress Swara Bhaskar sang redentions of Faiz Ahmed Faiz: Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan, Fakat Chand He Roz; Zulum Ki Chavon Main Daum Lenay Pe Majboor Hain Hum... Chand Roz Aur..
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