Veteran Pakistani film director and actor Javed Sheikh’s MeToo opinion has landed him in hot waters. In an interview with a Pakistani news website, he said, “See where there is a man and woman, things are bound to happen. A lot of women get #MeToo done on themselves.” And, his controversial comments on the world-famous movement against sexual harassment at the workplace were enough to earn him a title of a misogynist.
The Context of Javed Sheikh’s MeToo Opinion
Javed Sheikh commented on MeToo movement while talking to Dawn’s images section. In his interview, he didn’t completely discredit the cause of MeToo. He went to tell that victim shouldn’t keep quite as it wouldn’t help them, instead they go to higher authorities.
But it was Javed Sheikh’s MeToo opinion part where told that where there are man and women such things are bound to happen. Now, this raises the question if societies should discourage the co-working culture to avoid such victimization of vulnerable.
Twitteratie’s Reaction on Javed Sheikh’s Opinion
Pakistani Twitter’s users’ response to Javed Shiekh’s comments was not much different from the ongoing global debate on MeToo movement. The best example, in this case, is India where last year a number of celebrities including Kailash Kher, Vikas Bahl, Sajid Khand, and Nana Patekar faced accusations of sexual harassment and people had a mixed response on it.
For Javed Sheikh he had folks supporting as well as opposing his statement.
People didn’t expect anything like this from him.
People went far to suggest that he should be boycotted for his sexist opinion.
He had Supporters As Well…
What Was So Wrong with This Statement
A look at Javed Sheikh’s MeToo opinion shows that the actor tried to give a balanced opinion but ended up making it controversial. He didn’t discredit the victim and also emphasized that people should boycott the accuse. But, his saying that such things are bound to happen didn’t make a sense.
Further, his opinion that a lot of women get #MeToo done on themselves is more or less equal to victim blaming. Also no evidence doesn’t always means that victim is lying or accused is innocent.
Such words from the person like Javed Sheikh are more like an invalidation of an important movement which is making the world attentive towards the issue of sexual harassment at workplace.
Also Read:
MeToo Movement- An Alarm for Patriarchy’s End or Spice for Tabloids
