#MeToo Movement In India - For Dummies

The #MeToo movement has finally reached India and the details are more horrid than I could have ever imagined. What’s more disheartening is to know that men who apparently are seen (or portray themselves) as “woke” are rather complicit in the deeds.
Men have been disappointing me for decades, but this week they proved themselves to be of another level of garbage.
Men, if you are unsure about what you need to do in these times here’s where you can start:

1. Believe the women who are coming forward even if the claims are against your friends or family. Don’t question why they didn’t come forward sooner. The least you can do is listen and believe them now. 
2. Do not make sexual jokes or any jokes at all about this movement (which is just scratching the surface in India, right now)
3. If someone accuses YOU of (moderate?) harassment, aka inappropriate jokes, gestures, of basically being a douche, take time to reflect, understand, apologize (profusely!) and use this as moment for self-growth. 
4. Don’t get defensive if you see women use the blanket term “all men” to address their stories. Even if you are an outlier, I bet you have been in a room where a guy said something inappropriate and you chose to stay quiet. So, yes you are part of the problem.
5. Don’t participate in conversations which talk about women in a degrading manner. Heck, be the man who asks others to stop even!
6. This one will probably be difficult for a lot of Indian men, but try and stop talking to your friends with mother-sister cursing. Clean your language, clean your mind!
7. And if you have nothing productive or supportive to add to the #MeToo conversation how about you stay quiet, and watch us change this world?

This is just a starting point. I don’t know where in history we went wrong, but it is about time we set things right. Men, save your gender. Women can’t save you any more. We are busy fighting our own battles.
And ladies, don’t come at me with how fabulous the men in your lives are - I am happy for you, but this is not your moment. Save it for your Facebook updates. This is the time to stand in solidarity. Let's build each other up. We are stronger, together! Let these women talk. It is their time. Our time. We all have been quiet long enough.

“I wish we lived in a culture where people could come forward and admit to past misdeeds, take responsibility for their thoughts and actions, seek forgiveness, demonstrate atonement and positive behavior, and could then be seen as role models for the growth that all humans are capable of.” - Dr. Mudita Rastogi