It’s a universally known fact that we’re living in a pretty weird world. There are days when you can just not make sense of what is happening around you. There’s mayhem, chaos, and disturbances everywhere. TBH, we’re hoping that we’re able to leave all of this negativity behind as we enter 2020. But keeping in mind the current situation, the future looks bleak.
So here are 20 absolutely WTF news headlines we read or heard in 2019
Do not be surprised if most of these news headlines are crimes or statements against women. That’s just how things are right now.
1. The Weird Offering To The Rain Gods
The first on this list has to be something really absurd that happened in Udupi! Two frogs were married in an elaborate ceremony, called Mandooka Parinaya, to appease the rain gods in hope of getting rain. Weirdest part? Hundreds of people travelled from different parts to attend this wedding.
2. This Is How Transgenders Are Born
Be prepared to have your mind blown! A Kerala professor, yes professor, in one of his ‘counselling’ session made an extremely transphobic comment. He said, “Women who wear jeans or act like men give birth to transgender kids”. Let that sink in!
3. Are You A Modern Girl?
In a day and age when women are constantly fighting the stereotypes, it was a huge setback for all of us to see a CBSE textbook define ‘modern women’ in the most sexist and misogynist way ever! Here are some excerpts:
“The girl in the modern age is generally very smart, intelligent, conscious and fashionable. She is always imitating the male in fashion, ambition and professional endeavours.”
“The modern girl is no longer shy, obedient and homely creature as she used to be. She is more a self-centred creature than a loving daughter or sympathetic sister. She is eager to enjoy life fully and so she does not want to miss any party, cinema show, concert, fashion parades and such like outdoor activities. She talks and makes friendship with boys freely and easily.”
Wait, there is more!
“It is true that the modern girl is more conscious about her health and her figure. She always tries to keep herself fit and beautiful. For this, she uses many costly fashionable beauty products. She has no time to look after the needs of the other members of her family.”
4. How Are We Raising Our Boys?
Anybody who says uneducated people rape women, please read this. 13 and 14-year old students of a posh Mumbai school were discovered discussing and planning rapes and gangbangs, according to a leading Mumbai daily. The students who were found this were, allegedly, in ‘leadership’ positions in the school! What does this say about the state of our boys?
5. Who’s Fault Is It Really?
In a piece of bizarre news that will have you shaking your head, a 23-year-old gang-rape survivor from Jashpur district of Chattisgarh was fined Rs 5000 for filing a police complaint against the rapists. The reason for filing this complaint was that the village Panchayat felt that the victim needed to be taught a lesson for taking the matter outside the village.
6. She Should Have Known Better!
Would you believe me if I said that a man set his wife ablaze because she served him less mutton? Well, you have to because that is how 37-year-old Pallavi Sarode, a resident of Mumbai died. Reportedly, the husband was inebriated when he poured kerosene on Pallavi and it was their four minor kids who raised the alarm seeing their mother being burned. Pallavi shortly after passed away because of the injuries from the incident.
7. This Is Why Rapes Are Not Reported
Every time a person questions victims for not reporting rape, they should be made to read these reports. The Unnao rape survivor was set ablaze by her rapists as she was on her way to the court hearing. The accused, at the time, were out on bail. I can’t even!
8. The Mother Obviously Needs To Be Punished For The Crimes Of The Son
In another totally absurd and mind-boggling news, a 45-year-old woman was tied to a pole and beaten up in Tamil Nadu. What was her crime exactly? Well, her son had eloped with the daughter of the accused who then decided to punish the mother for her child’s actions. *sigh*
9. If Ernst & Young Say This, What Can We Do?
One of the Big Four companies, Ernst & Young, took a step in the sexist direction to ensure there was no sexual harassment at work! E&Y designed a workshop to educate women employees on how to behave in order to be successful. In the workshop, women were asked to not dress provocatively in order to avoid the mind going haywire – “don’t flaunt your body: sexuality scrambles the mind.”
10. We Need Better Politicians
Balram Thawani, the BJP MLA from Naroda, was filmed kicking and slapping a woman, Neetu Tejwani in a video that went viral on the internet. The BJP leadership then put immense pressure on the woman to accept the MLA’s very public apology. How did he apologize, you ask? He apologized by asking her to tie a rakhi on his wrist which she had to subsequently, under pressure, do! Truly, WTF?
11. Are We Living In The 21st Century?
I’m sorry to be the harbinger of bad news but here’s another example of the weirdest crimes committed against women. A 21-year-old woman, Parwati Budha Rawat, died after she was made to spend three nights in a windowless period hut since she was menstruating. This happened in the Accham district of Sudurpaschim Pradesh which is one of the coldest places in Nepal and the temperature regularly falls below 10ºC in December. This is just sad.
12. Reel Life Or Real Life?
Here’s something heartening amongst all the dreadful news I’m delivering. A husband from Kolar in Madhya Pradesh willingly divorced his wife so that she could go ahead and marry the love of her life, her boyfriend. Seems right out of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, doesn’t it?
13. Just Shut Up!
I’m not going to write anything about this news because I genuinely have no words. Let me just add the Twitter link for the statement made by Telugu film director Daniel Shravan who, to summarize, said that women must carry condoms in case they are raped.
14. The Perils Of Being A Girl Child
Parents are so selfless that they wouldn’t think twice about giving up anything for their child. But what does it say about parents who refused to give their kidneys to their ailing daughter who was suffering from kidney failure? Reportedly, when the doctors asked the parents to give a kidney, the father said “Who will donate their kidneys? She is a girl!” Shame on such parents!
15. Are You Listening Fellow Indians?
Being a woman in India is really hard. This story is an indication of the same. But there is even stronger evidence to support this now. According to a new report produced by WEF, a Geneva-based international organization for public-private cooperation, India has slid four places to 112 when it comes to the gender gap around the world. In the same report, China ranked at 106, Sri Lanka at 102, Nepal at 101 and Bangladesh, surprisingly, at 50. The good news, though, is that we rank higher than Pakistan at the 151st position!
16. No Punishment Is Enough!
In what might be a step back in women’s safety, a professor from Benaras Hindu University (BHU) has been reinstated even after he was found guilty of multiple counts of sexual harassment. The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) had found the professor, Sunil Kumar Chaube, guilty of misdemeanours when 36 women accused him last year. So, tell me again how the #metoo movement ruined the life of accused men?
17. Yes, Pre-Wedding Shoots Are The Problem
Did you know that pre-wedding shoots are the reason many weddings break off even before they start? Well, at least that’s the reason loyal panchayats of Jain, Gujarati, and Sindhi communities in Bhopal have given for banning pre-wedding shoots. Another bizarre rule they’ve passed is that there can be no male choreographers during ladies sangeet. They have also threatened that any person who does not adhere to the rule will be shunned from society.
18. Trolling Star Kids For Being Kids
Trolling star kids, for sometimes doing absolutely nothing, has now become routine, especially when it comes to Nysa Devgan. A photo of the teenager leaving a salon and smiling went viral a day after the death of her grandfather, legendary action director Veeru Devgan. Netizens mercilessly trolled her for the same without realizing a few facts – it could’ve been an old picture, it could’ve been a picture of the morning before he passed away or even if she went a day after, it was her choice. Seeing this piece of information (or misinformation) as the news was quite absurd. Give the damn kid a break!
19. Mallika Sherawat Is Back With A Bang!
We’ve heard enough stories of casting couch and weird demands that directors and producers make. But here is a new one we’re sure you’ve never heard before. Apparently, a producer tried to monetize her ‘hotness’ for his benefit by asking the choreographer if he could fry an egg on her belly in the song just to show how hot she was. Obviously she did not go through with it because that would have been a whole new level of ridiculous.
20. Are Naagins Real?
It’s almost as if having a serial dedicated to naagins wasn’t enough. Now we have the actors who’re working in these serials admit that they actually believe that these said naagins exist. Pearl V Puri, the actor who played Bela’s (Surbhi Jyoti) husband in the serial Naagin 3 made this statement on the record “I’ve not seen a naagin in real life. But, I have experienced paranormal activities as a child. When I was seven, I sensed ghosts around me. Everything exists, it’s all about what you believe in. I believe naagins exist. If one believes there is God, then there must be a devil too.”
I don’t know what to say, I’m flabbergasted.
Did you hear any more ridiculous news headlines this year? We’d love to know!
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