Linking patriotism to women’s bodies is uncalled for | The Indian Express

Linking patriotism to women’s bodies is uncalled for | The Indian Express

Written by Alaka M Basu |Updated: September 16, 2019 9:35:52 am

The writer is professor at Cornell University, Department of Development Sociology

Linking patriotism to women’s bodies is uncalled for

The latest firing of this salvo occurred in the Prime Minister’s Independence Day speech, in which it was declared that having small families is a form of “patriotism”. Such exhortations primarily target women, their bodies and their reproductive autonomy.

Historically, even today, if there is one large group of persons on whom a disproportionate responsibility to buckle up and do its duty for the country is placed, it is women.

Sometimes one needs to reject good advice, even when it comes from a person one admires. This seems to be the right time to reject President John F Kennedy’s much repeated instruction to “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country”.