"I don't like the direction it's taking."
In a recent podcast, Rabya Kulsoom voiced her concerns about feminism and the Aurat March movement in Pakistan.
She expressed worry about how feminism is perceived and portrayed in the country.
“Feminism is being misunderstood here, in my opinion.”
She started by expressing her disappointment with the misinterpretation of feminism in the country.
Rabya highlighted that it is often misused or misrepresented, particularly by women themselves rather than men.
She stressed the significance of feminism as a crucial topic. Rabya expressed disappointment that its message didn’t reach the intended audience effectively.
Rabya criticised certain slogans seen at Aurat Marches.
She believed such slogans could reinforce harmful stereotypes and potentially lead to increased violence against women.
“I believe that feminism is an extremely important subject.
“Feminism isn’t reaching the people it’s meant for. If a man in a remote area sees a sign that says, ‘Find your own sock’… what will he think?
“Do you think the right message has been conveyed where it’s needed?
“And if it did reach there, it went in a very wrong direction. He might harm his wife further after reading that sign.”
Rabya emphasised that feminism encompasses much more than household chores.
According to her, feminism should address broader issues like women’s rights to education and career opportunities.
“We need to move beyond picking up socks and preparing food for ourselves. Please. Feminism goes beyond this.
“It’s vast and broader than this. You’ve distorted the meaning right from the start.
“I’m in favour of the Aurat March, but I don’t like the direction it’s taking.
“The Aurat March shouldn’t be about hating men. It’s about women’s rights. The right to education, where you can’t prevent your daughter from studying.
“You won’t stop your daughter from working or advancing in her career.”
“Our feminism and our Aurat March are focused on men and hating them. ‘Don’t take care of your husband or wash his clothes, don’t make him breakfast.’ Is this feminism? What nonsense is this?”
Netizens mostly agreed with her statements.
A user wrote: “Absolutely right. This isn’t feminism. In today’s time, people have forgotten why Aurat March was even started.”
One said: “True, majority of the feminists are not speaking out for women, rather they are blaming men and making them the bad guys.”
Others disagreed with Rabya Kulsoom’s statements.
One said: “She is a woman herself and she doesn’t understand that men are the reason women have to ask for their most basic right in the first place. It is men who have deprived women of their rights.”
Another wrote: “If men weren’t the villains here then who are women even complaining about? Think for a moment and then speak.”
A third added: “Don’t go on blabbing in that mic with your privileged existence when you don’t know what women go through.
“Just because men don’t harm you in your life does not mean that all women have that luxury.”
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