A LinkedIn post by Public Policy Consultant and lawyer Ashima Gulati has gone viral after she recounted an incident where she was criticized for wearing a saree in her profile picture. The post has ignited a heated debate on social media, highlighting issues such as gender bias, professional attire, and societal expectations.
Gulati shared that she received a message on LinkedIn from a man who suggested that her choice to wear a saree in her profile photo was “not ideal” for her professional image, implying that the traditional Indian attire was inappropriate for the workplace. This unsolicited advice sparked outrage, leading Gulati and many others to question the underlying sexism and gender bias present in the comment.
In her post, Gulati expressed her shock and disappointment, condemning the inherent sexism in such remarks. She voiced the frustrations felt by many women who are judged based on their appearance rather than their skills or professional accomplishments. Gulati wrote, “Men will rape because I am wearing a sari not to their liking. Irony of receiving such messages/comments on my post calling for non-objectification of women in our daily lives, Bollywood and workplace is too hard to just pass.”
She also pointed out disturbing trends in the responses she received, particularly from men. Gulati observed, “Some observations from the responses I received from a particular gender: Women entice men by showing their bodies, Women can safeguard themselves by not being in such situations by not working late night / not wearing clothes of their choices / etc, Men are enticed/influenced only by bodies and not by anything else in the society like media, daily jokes, etc, Only a particular economic group rapes!”
The post quickly went viral, with many users expressing their anger and disbelief that such views still persist in modern society. Comments on Gulati’s post ranged from supportive to strongly condemning the mentality that led to the criticism.
One user commented, “I think the egoistic masculine patriarchy can’t bear a woman living like a human. Free from ownership. It’s not some individual but a thought process getting passed down by many generations.”
Another user added, “The sheer audacity, the sick mentality is what truly baffles me! It’s always some shameless man himself to make a comment on a woman on how she looks, what she wears, how she talks, walks, and what not even eats. These disgusting men in our society should be taught a lesson for a lifetime. So proud of you ma’am that you’ve gathered up the courage and pinned down a well-needed shout-out!”