Book Review

By Padmalatha Ravi on Thursday, May 12, 2011 - 11:46

Why does hanging out with friends have to be a carefully choreographed act? Sadly, that is the reality for women in India. Here’s a book that argues for women’s right to loiter. Padmalatha Ravi reviews.

Why Loiter? Women & Risk on Mumbai Streets
Authors: Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan and Shilpa Ranade
Published by: Penguin
Price: Rs 299

It is the title that caught my attention – Why loiter? Why would women want to loiter? Aren’t we all told that ‘respectable’ women don’t do that kind of stuff? And then you read the next part of the title, ‘Women & Risk on Mumbai Streets.’ What?!? Risk on Mumbai’s streets? It is THE safest city in the country, isn’t it?

 The book is an eye opener.

 It might sound absurd that at this day and age women don’t have fun. But the book will make you realise that the fun women have isn’t spontaneous or impromptu, but a carefully choreographed and sometimes manipulated act within the confines of private cars, homes, malls, movie halls and restaurants.

 The book argues for women’s right to be in a park, on the road, in a public transport, by the beach, in a “different” area, at any time of the day or without having to explain why they are there.

 The book is a culmination of a three year research on women’s access to public spaces and their ability to have fun. Through the book you’ll hear from women across all economic, social, religious and social strata. And you realise that women negotiate at every turn on a daily basis, irrespective of their backgrounds. Be it for work or fun.

 The book discusses in detail the architecture of the city which more often deters women’s movement. For example in an area that has both commercial and residential complexes, women feel safer to step out after dusk than an entirely commercial area like say Nariman point. The reason -- there are few people out on the streets after dark in an all-business locality.

 The book tells you mall hopping is simply an ode to the consuming feminine in the garb of safe and comfortable fun. It reminds you that if you are not willing to spend at least on coffee in these posh malls you are not welcome.

 The book questions the protectionism that surrounds women across age groups. It questions if rich girls have more fun than the girls from the slums. What kind of fun do girls working in call centres have? Where do old girls go to have fun? The chapters pour out fascinating insights. Insights which every woman has internalised, accepted and accepted as a status quo.

 Interestingly the book talks about men’s right to public spaces too. The book argues that many a time women’s access is curbed citing danger from lower class migrants, Muslim men and hawkers. The argument is that unless all citizens -- women, men, young, old, rich and poor of all classes, communities, sexualities, abilities -- can access pubic space equally, women’s access will always remain conditional.

 There is an entire chapter dedicated to peeing. Extensive research in Mumbai’s local train stations forms the crux of this chapter. The line “For if the average ratio of toilet seats for women and men in most public toilets is anything to go by, there is just one woman for every five men out there,” says it all.

 The three authors Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan and Shilpa Ranade have lucidly and convincingly argued for women’s right to ‘have fun’. Though the context is Mumbai, this could be true of any city in India.

 The book is one of the very few that talk about women’s rights in a non-scholarly yet non-frivolous way. The fact that it is just 175 pages and keeps you engaged enough till the last page will go a long way in getting the readership it deserves. But more importantly it talks about an issue that till date no one has raised in the public sphere – the woman’s right to have fun, to loiter.

 Read about the authors and the art of co-writing in an email interview here

Padmalatha Ravi, is Founder and Editor, Just Femme.