Allowing bullies, pranksters to ruin our day make them winners: Rohail Hyatt

Music maestro, in a Twitter exchange, suggested that women need to have stronger nerves to endure cat-calling

It's finally March. Social media is reeling with posts on the upcoming Aurat March as #WhyWeMarch trends on Twitter. Women are coming forward with their ordeals and sharing how imperative the occasion really is. One such case was recently shared by film-maker Aisha Gazdar.

Narrating an incident of cat-calling that left her traumatised, Gazdar tweeted, "Sunday morning, walking my dog on the road since footpaths don't exist in Karachi. Two men on the bike let out a huge scream as they come up behind, all I can do is show lannat (curse) as they look back. But their mission is accomplished: rattled, the rest of the walk ruined."

Sunday morning, walking my dog on the road since footpaths dont exist in Karachi, 2 men on bike let out a huge scream as they come up behind, all I can do is show lannat as they look back. But their mission is accomplished: rattled, the rest of the walk ruined #whywemarch

— Aisha Gazdar (@GazdarAisha) February 28, 2021

Responding to the tweet, music maestro Rohail Hyatt suggested that women need to have stronger nerves to endure such behaviour. The two then had a Twitter exchange on the same, which garnered divisive responses.

We need stronger nerves to endure such behaviour. Of course it’s natural to react but once one realises it was a prank, it’s important to quickly channel the fear out of the system. Laughter is often the best remedy.

— Rohail Hyatt (@rohailhyatt) March 1, 2021

"We need stronger nerves to endure such behaviour," the Coke Studio producer said, adding, "Of course it’s natural to react but once one realises it was a prank, it’s important to quickly channel the fear out of the system. Laughter is often the best remedy."

Harassment is unacceptable, prank or not. No need to endure/laugh off such behaviour, call out the scumbags who do it, make a scene in public, if possible to identify report to police. Disappointed in your response Rohail sahab. There should be zero tolerance for harassment

— مردِ چَرس (@retroguy02) March 1, 2021

His suggestion was met with some reservations. A female user called out Hyatt, opining that "harassment is unacceptable, prank or not." She continued, "No need to endure/laugh off such behaviour, call out the scumbags who do it, make a scene in public, if possible to identify report to police. Disappointed in your response Rohail sahab. There should be zero tolerance for harassment."

It’s not tolerance of bad behaviour. It’s self management. If one chooses to suffer because of other people’s behaviour, that’s their choice. Call them out as much as you like, this is not going away anytime soon. Meanwhile, we can adapt to our circumstances and take life lightly

— Rohail Hyatt (@rohailhyatt) March 1, 2021

To this, Hyatt retorted, "It’s not tolerance of bad behaviour. It’s self-management. If one chooses to suffer because of other people’s behaviour, that’s their choice. Call them out as much as you like, this is not going away anytime soon. Meanwhile, we can adapt to our circumstances and take life lightly."

That's the thing na, women taking life lightly in public makes them easy targets for pranks, harmless or otherwise. Since teens, girls train themselves to ignore it all, and somewhere in that training they lose their joie de vivre.

— Aisha Gazdar (@GazdarAisha) March 1, 2021

Concurring with Hyatt, Gazdar responded, "That's the thing, women taking life lightly in public makes them easy targets for pranks, harmless or otherwise. Since teens, girls train themselves to ignore it all, and somewhere in that training they lose their joie de vivre."

Allowing bullies and pranksters to ruin our day makes them winners. I was suggesting not letting them get to us by quickly releasing any accumulation of fear or anger past the threat assessment. They aren’t worth it. Solutions being suggested are not expected within our lifetime.

— Rohail Hyatt (@rohailhyatt) March 1, 2021

Hyatt then concluded, "Allowing bullies and pranksters to ruin our day makes them winners. I was suggesting not letting them get to us by quickly releasing any accumulation of fear or anger past the threat assessment. They aren’t worth it. Solutions being suggested are not expected within our lifetime."

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