Afridi, a misogynist?

Cricketer Shahid Afridi is not exactly known for making measured and nuanced statements in public. There have been many occasions where his statements have created much controversy and chagrin. Therefore, it is no surprise that his latest statement has created another round of controversy. Afridi, when asked about his views on women playing cricket in Peshawar, flippantly replied that “our women have magic in their hands; they are good cooks”, basically letting us in on the kind of views he holds regarding the place women should hold in society, where they are confined within their homes and carry out tasks traditionally only meant for them. Unfortunately, this is a view many in our patriarchal society adhere to. Over time, however, there have been positive developments, with more and more women becoming part of the job market and taking on all kinds of roles in the corporate sector, media, politics and other fields. The changing attitudes of men in our society vis-a-vis working women have also helped in this regard.

However, Afridi has shown that we still have a long way to go before we can hope to become a truly enlightened society. Such public expression of a chauvinistic viewpoint by a person, who is supposed to be a role model for millions, is very disappointing. Those saying that everyone is entitled to an opinion and the same standards should apply to Afridi are ignoring that as a public figure, he has to ensure that his statements are responsible ones, that they do not hurt or offend sentiments of the public or even sections of it, and that even if he holds such controversial opinions, it is better not to make them publicly known. But given his history of making irresponsible statements — including one that implied that Indians are not large-hearted people — perhaps, that was asking a bit too much of him. Perhaps, the cricket board should start conducting gender sensitivity courses for national cricketers, as such irresponsible statements also serve to hurt our image internationally.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2014.

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