Sometimes, it feels like there’s absolutely no escape from gender stereotypes in this world. They’re reinforced when a mother gets more maternity leave than what a father gets as paternity leave. They’re reinforced when a female actor is badgered about her age whereas a male actor goes on romancing women half his age on-screen. They’re also reinforced when a working mother is judged for having a career or ambitions and the man is labeled as useless if he’s not doing as well in his professional life.
However, sometimes there’s a bright spark who shows us a clever and satirical way to shatter them.
We’ve all heard statements like ‘girls from good houses don’t go out late at night’, ‘a woman is calling to be raped or molested if she steps out in certain clothing’ or that ‘pati parmeshwar hota hai’ (husband is God).
This married couple from Karachi, Pakistan (going by the handle ‘The Mewly Weds’) have taken social media by storm after their post smashing gender roles went viral.
In a satirical post, they shared pictures from their meal, where the wife had taken her husband out. He was seen wearing a hijab and covering his identity and the role-reversal is a much-needed wake up call.
Image Source: Twitter
Sharing the post, she wrote, “This is my beautiful husband. Of course, you can’t see how beautiful he is because I make sure he keeps his beauty (read: identity) hidden as I am the only true haqdaar of it. Everything he is, all his achievements, dreams, all of his fkn life, he owes it to me. Any namehram’s nazar is haraam on him, so I prefer he stay at home as the world is a bad place. However, it is ok when he goes out with me.”
She further took a dig at women’s bodies being only seen as a womb to bear children, “I took him to dinner at @madroostapk last night. We only go there because they use steroid free chicken and we are very health conscious, especially after knowing how growth hormone injected chicken can affect fertility. I don’t want his fertility to be affected because his major purpose of existing is to give me children and make me a mother. So no matter what, I only bring him to eat out here.”
Image Source: Twitter
She further wrote, “I Iove how he modestly hides himself while going out, as he is khuli tijori and I wouldn’t want him to get molested. Even then if he gets molested, we will accept that as qismah and hope that the abuser will be punished in akhirah.
I, on the other hand, can roam around and loiter on my own, in my chadda banyaan, in my tank top in my spaghetti strap top or even shirtless, because I am a woman. I am not scared of other women. They will not assault me. And even if they do, I will not talk about it because it will prove me weak and defenceless in front of the whole wide world. A woman is not supposed to be weak, you know, we were created to be strong and macho.
Also, I let him go out to work and drive cuz I am a strong believer in equality. However, looking at na-mehrams and interacting with them in any way is strictly prohibited. It is my duty to ensure these practices as a pious husband is my key to jannah, how will I get to sleep with 70 virgins in the afterlife warna?
Also, photography and all is also haraam but we had to do this since in attempt to educate you all and save you from qabar ke saanp and jahannum ki aag.
Where’s my medal?”
The internet was ‘concerned’ and started offering because you know, his hijab was just too see through. 😂
1. Hai Allah! How can he step outside like that?
I am not sure you know but the veil your husband is wearing is see through, it’s not really modest attire. Pls ensure he covers up properly before going outside !
— Siva Thanenthiran (@SivananthiT) 7 April 2019
2. The two cardinal sins: driving and working
Two things you must never let him do, without supervision. Work and Drive. Do you know the kind of women he might encounter at work. You must guard against this, medal or no medal.
Oh and by the way, get him a black veil. This is too revealing, you don’t want women seeing him— Ichie Whyte (@il_Cavalier) 7 April 2019
3. What is happening?
Can he go outside without you accompanying him? Go easy on such privileges. Today it’s this, tomorrow it will be gender equality..! I mean c’mmon!
— Nitin Sharma (@nitinwayfarer) 7 April 2019
However, some thought she was attacking a particular religion and started bashing the post.
But she responded to this by saying, “To those of you coming at me with senseless misogynistic bullshit:
A) it ain’t my responsibility to teach you how satire works
B) people like you are exactly the problem. You are the reason I had to put up such a post in the first place.”
Also, on a serious note (tum logon ko samjhaana parta hai lab mazak horaha hai aur kab serious baat), I fucking love the man I married. He high fives me every time we get a new supportive comment, he’s replying to many rude comments directed towards me… My heart melts.
— The Mewly Weds! (@themewlyweds) 7 April 2019
To all of you who understand what this means, to all of you supporting the cause, lots of love and hugs. May we all together become change catalysts, may we all learn to treat each other based on humanity.
— The Mewly Weds! (@themewlyweds) 7 April 2019
Kudos, guys! Sometimes, humour is a great way to deal with such patriarchal notions to get the point across. Seriously though, where’s your medal?
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