India’s Daughter, My Reaction

It took me some time to think about how I feel about this film India’s Daughter so I’m late to the discussion. Having thought it through, here is my reaction…

Number one, it frustrates me a lot that programs like this make it sound like India is this horrible “other” place where terrible things happen to women all the time. It gives the west a terrible impression of India and makes many westerners feel justified in looking down on India and Indians.

I’ve said it before, just as the prevalence of gun violence in the U.S. doesn’t define us, rape violence doesn’t define India. Not to mention, rape is a problem in every culture in every part of the world. It is a huge problem in the U.S.

There are some very valid criticisms of the film, such as:

Feminist campaigner Kavita Krishnan, who appears in the film, praised aspects of the film but stated that the film’s title reinforces patriarchal attitudes that Indian women are expected to “behave themselves”. She says that the film is part of a wider “white saviour” mentality. She also said the film failed to profile Indian men who are “on the side of law and order and morality” –Wikipedia

But yes, the women in India need to be protected just as the women here need to be protected from rape. We don’t need to do the “white savior” thing and criticize India for this problem when it is a problem we have too. We need to help all people, including those in the U.S. who are dealing with rape.

I don’t want my anger at the way this program was made to distract from the fact that we all need to work at making our societies safer for women. To attack the documentary itself takes the focus that we need and puts it on something else.

The truth is that misrepresentation is the lesser evil here. Women are being hurt and we need to focus our energy and our anger on that. Both in India and in the U.S. and in every other country on earth.

The reaction to ban the film makes me think that the government cares more about looking good than about protecting women. These are things that need to be talked about rather than hidden.