Two things happened this week.
1. Sunny Leone’s condom ad.
So there is a huge uproar on Sunny Leone’s condom ad promoting ‘safe sex’ during navratri. How can she talk about sex and that too about a (rather ‘THE’) Hindu festival?
Truth
- Sale of condoms increases by 25-50 per cent during Garba nights (source).
- For the last 10-15 years, several NGOs have tried to spread awareness about AIDS during navratri.
From 2004 article: In Vadodara, Vikas Jyot Trust, an NGO, has installed condom vending machines in 25 hotels frequented by couples during Navratri. Even the room boys have been asked to keep at least 10 condoms with them (source).
So basically, everybody knows but no one wants to admit and accept it.
Uber’s ‘kitchen’ ad.
Uber has been slammed for wife appreciation’ campaign calling on men to ‘give their partner a day off from the kitchen’. This was a global outrage and Uber has now apologised for running that promotion.
Truth
India had the lowest female labor force participation rate in South Asia, with the exception of Pakistan. Globally, only parts of the Arab world held a lower female labor force participation rates than India in the same year (data source).
So no matter what you and I say, the majority of woman population is in ‘kitchen’. That is a much more important outrage than trolling the messenger who is telling you the uncomfortable truth.
Unless we accept the (bitter) truth, how can we even progress? If you have blamed media for not doing their job – do know that you too have the power to bring that change. But first, let’s accept that somethings are broken.
Ditto with our product companies.
