Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar compared a speech to the length of women’s skirt. While addressing the audience at an event in Karachi, he said, “I was told that a speech should be like a woman’s skirt. It should not be too long that one loses the interest and it should be not too short that it doesn’t cover the subject.”
Well, this analogy between the length of a speech and the length of a woman’s skirt is a famous quote by Sir Winston Churchill.
Social media users didn’t consider it appropriate for the Chief Justice of Pakistan to use such a comparison in his speech. They criticized the act by saying that such remarks objectify the women.
Social Media’s Reaction to Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Remarks
Soon after, the speech of Mian Saqib Nisar went on-air; many Twitter users expressed their concerns. Users opined that such remarks are sexist as they objectify women. They stressed upon the need for mandatory education on genders and legislation on taking action against those who give such statements.
I was told a speech is like a woman’s skirt — not too long that one loses interest and neither too short that it doesn’t cover the subject: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saquib Nisar at a recent event in Karachi pic.twitter.com/XBg3QRQO0V
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) 20 January 2018
Gender trainings should be mandatory for all including Chief Justice of Pakistan and strict punishments should be against sexist remarks of people especially those on influential positions that the youth (girls,boys,trans) look up to! We need Legislations on this!
— meena gabeena (@gabeeno) 20 January 2018
Inappropriate Way to Express the Views
It is a fact that what Chief Justice of Pakistan said in his speech was just a quote. He might have intended to use it only for making a comparison and not as means to pass derogatory remarks against any gender.
Given the situation, few social media users also stated that CJP should have appropriately explained his point.
Chief Justice of Pakistan’s statement regarding women’s skirt is an inappropriate way of expressing his views.
— Zahid Mohmand (@imzahidhussain) 22 January 2018
Is Pakistani Society Sensitive to Misogyny?
Misogyny is a real issue that women around the globe are facing due to the patriarchal society. But is this problem valid in Pakistani context? Well, the answer is perhaps no, because Pakistan has to go a long way before becoming sensitive to such matters. The reason is apparent, people in our country are still struggling to meet their basic needs of life. They are fighting against poverty, economic instability, extremism, terrorism, corruption and severe social issues like child abuse. In such a situation, ordinary individuals don’t bother to think that women objectification is also an issue.
The customs in Pakistan, make people rise on the matter of women when their so-called honor is in jeopardy. But there is no convention to stand against the rampant misogyny that eliminates women from the sphere of human beings and brings them to the clan of alluring showpieces that are nothing more than a matter of interest for someone.
