Feminism, Bad Journalism and Jiah Khan's suicide

So yes, I read about the suicide, and I read the letter. We all did. And for a long time, I successfully refrained from commenting on people's over-hyped reactions on it.

But what I read in one newspaper yesterday just took the cake, and here I am, joining the bandwagon despite my reluctant self.

I didn't know her and I am nobody to comment/speculate what drove her to take her own life or how she could have dealt with the situation instead. Seriously, who ARE we to comment?

Did you know her personally? Are you an expert on psychology? No. Then do this world a favour and shut your judgmental face.

Yes, we have an opinion on everything, but where do these opinions go when we are the ones in that particular situation? Why don't we counsel ourselves on the best way to deal with the situation we are in?

Yes, that's right. Because we are human. And though we become experts when it comes to counseling the rest of the world, we are as clueless when we are put in the same situation.

So all you psychologists who are busy analyzing her disturbed state of mind, or distorted self-image, well, please evaporate. Thanks.

Oh, you were "shocked"? Of course you were, you poor thing. "She looked so happy". Yeah, right. She told you that when she came over to your house everyday for tea, didn't she?

"She was an actor and people looked up to her. She has set a dangerous example for her fans." Well, here's a not so shocking fact: actors have feelings. They have a life OTHER THAN living up to their fan's expectations and setting a good example for them. They are humans, and yes, humans get depressed. Sometimes they can't deal with it anymore. They suicide. Get over it.

No, I'm not glorifying suicide, or saying that it was the right solution or it's the right way to deal with things. No, I'm not defending her.

What's my point here? My point is, leave her ALONE. Let her rest in peace.

Suicide is a very complicated thing. What happened to Jiah Khan was extremely sad. What she went through, I do not wish upon anyone. But that's that. Who am I to comment on what she should have done? Who is ANYONE to comment on what she should have done?

Who are we to judge her?

Is it okay to take one's own life? That's a disputed question even philosophers haven't arrived at a consensus to reply to.

But oh, when we are so interested in commenting on people's lives, why would we forego a chance to showcase our expert opinions on people's deaths, right?

So, coming back to the point, just when I was getting over being irked at people's ludicrous reactions to this news, I found this gem of an article. *sarcasm*

http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/jiah-khans-suicide-note-what-did-rabia-teach-her-daughter-858835.html

The title reads, "Jiah Khan's suicide note: What did Rabia teach her daughter?"

Wow. This journalist's blatant and extremely repulsive sexist self gets a huge round of applause from me. Where do they hire them from nowadays? The Talentless Agency specializing in cheap, sexist and insensitive (insert word here. Calling them writers or journalists will make me lose faith in the profession) who also happen to have bad grammar?

After recovering from the shock that this piece of ridiculously bad journalism actually got published, I sat down and read it. And I have some choicest expletives to describe it which I wouldn't write here, but you can use your own discretion to add some.

Firstly, why does it always come down to the mother when the child goes wrong? What about fathers? Aw, of course. Don't they do enough already by being the "breadwinners" of the family? Why would we burden them by making them responsible for passing on some value addition on their offspring?

No, people are only mighty interested in blaming the mother, especially when its a girl child who goes wrong! Why not boys? Oh don't be silly. Boys will be boys.

And that is exactly the kind of thinking that authors of articles like these advocate. It roots back to the root of all our pain. Patriarchy. Do you still want me to answer why we need feminism?

If the horrendously backward author can comprehend me, I have a simple question - how do you not bother to ask what Suraj Pancholi's mother AND father taught him? I scanned your whole article (in utter disbelief, I might add) to not find a single mention of how HE could have done with some "good parenting".

And who are you miss, to question and comment on how her mother should have raised her?

It's ironic that YOU, of all the people, talk about patriarchy while your own article conveniently stinks of it.

May I question the parenting of the people who raise such chauvinistic and sexist waste of oxygen and space on earth?

Maybe, you are the one who should have spent some more time convincing yourself against writing this sadistic piece of crap.