I’m seriously so confused about the Kama Sutra…

So I’ve been kind of confused about this for a while, because India is a VERY conservative country. I’m sure you have heard about the recent film “India’s Daughter” which was banned from playing in India. It highlights the horrible rape culture that is inherent there in many rural parts. It may have been outlawed because it gives women some importance, but also because it could promote more angered violence against women, for which I see the logic in banning it. It’s mortifying to read what these people wrote. In 2012, the rape case in Delhi was sensationalized, and there’s an infamous interview with the bus driver, Mukesh Singh, who simply kept driving as the boys who dragged this girl onto the bus took turns. Can you believe that? “Took turns.”
Stories like these seriously concern me about this patriarchal, and misogynistic society. I mean, it exists much more mildly than this in America. Recently, the PSU frat KDR’s illicit facebook page of women’s naked pictures posted without consent rocked waves in national news. They are frankly treating women like cattle encouraged by the unfortunate misogyny that has existed forever now (quite literally). Wherever we are in the world, the culture exists. It has changed now so that at least women are able to vote, and women are able to work, etc, but there is a double standard when it come to sexuality.
In the interview, Singh said “You can’t clap with one hand – it takes two hands. A decent girl won’t roam around at night. A girl is more responsible for rape than a boy … about 20% of girls are good.” My only response to this is “WTF”. Yeah, it is unsafe to roam around at night boy or girl, but only a girl has to worry about this act of violation at night. Anyway, this girl wasn’t even alone. They beat up her male friend before they could get to her. I don’t understand what could have motivated a group of people to act so horrendously so much that they had their original goal in mind, that they beat up a friend to get to a girl to drag her onto a bus and “take turns” on her. There has to be some real, messed up logic that can motivate someone to so meticulously commit a crime. I really hope that in the time I’m alive, I can make some change.
In India, this sort of misogyny is instilled in very rural communities from the minute someone is born. Proper education is one way to fix this problem, because in those societies, even women accept their role as “less than man”. Often times the caste system is also enforced in these rural places, and there is some correlation with a “lower caste” and poverty. Therefore, to begin with within the caste system, these people are considered to be of little worth, and with that, women are considered to be value-less. Perhaps its this ideology driving this messed up logic.
So back to my original blog post title. Why does the kama sutra exist in Hinduism (Which 90% of Indians practice)? If women are so degraded, how can sexuality even be safe for them? In my next passion post, I’m going to research this more. I want to see if this patriarchy started, or is instilled, because a religion that promotes sexuality is not the basis for a misogynistic society. That’s a logical fallacy. So, readers, I know this was kind of heavy, but I’m sure the next post will be a little more interesting.

2 thoughts on “I’m seriously so confused about the Kama Sutra…

  1. Rhea Elena Sullivan

    I haven’t heard of this movie either, but I am just as appalled as you are. Hearing about how women are being held accountable for their own rape is INTOLERABLE. Absolutely disgusting….”take turns?” How did Indian culture evolve to allow this to become so rampant? Like you said, this has always existed everywhere in the world, but it seems now with Bollywood and technology, the horror of these truths are truly coming to light. Do you agree that the film was banned?

  2. Taylor Marie Peterson

    I actually haven’t heard of the movie you talked about, but I agree with you that it is probably a good idea if its release could promote more violence. I had heard about some of the struggles over woman’s rights (especially bride burning) in India but I was completely horrified by the quote you had in your post. Its hard to believe that in America, we still are struggling to gain some rights, when woman across the world have to fight for the most basic rights. I don’t really know much about the Kama Sutra so I’m definitely interested to hear what you have to say about it next week.

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