Morality police: Murdering our freedom

Image source - India Today 

With what recently took place in Iran- beating a woman named Mahsa Amini to death for "inappropriately wearing the hijab", it yet again brings the grave issue of inability to practice basic freedoms and the morality police into picture.

This incident was followed by the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi refusing to get interviewed (outside Iran) at the last minute because the journalist/interviewer declined his condition for her wearing a hijab/headscraf, which his aide described as "matter of respect" and as it was the holy month of Muharram and Safar. 

This enforces the morality police that people often impose on others, women often being the primary victims. "Dress like this..", "Sit like this..." and "Don't laugh loud.." is xxxjust some of the examples of moral policing women face in daily life.

Unlike Mahsa's case, morality police may not take someone's life, but it is often subtle (or not so subtle) in enforcing the morals society has defined. Snide remarks, sarcasm, or people themselves trying to correct your clothing without asking you is just some examples of moral policing, atleast when it comes to clothing.

Morality police is often seen in other situations, like what happened in the interview or USA banning abortions even in the cases of incest or rape (policing the women's bodies). 

It's not not just women who face the policing, though they are primary targets. Men face mortality policing as well. The classic examples can include ridiculing the men if they wish to wear make-up and wear clothes typically seen as feminine. Society starts to question their gender by disparagingly calling them chakka or gay (as if clothes and appearance decides/reflects one's sexual orientation). Or telling boys "men don't cry", imposing the gender restrictions as part of moral policing.

Eve teasers take up the job of both harrassing and moral policing, rather than doing anything productive, when women stand up against their harrassment. They try to police women by saying that they dressed in a certain way which made them "eve-tease" and sing derogatory item songs as women pass by. Same thing is done by molestors and rapists too, even if women are fully covered.

We get moral policing starting from our families only, who are also a part of society. Boys who may run slowly get called as "kya ladkiyon ke jaise bhaag raha hai" or when girls choose to wear typically masculine clothes get to hear that to live and dress like a woman. This leads to internalization of gender roles and moral policing, which gets passed on to further generations.

Police, which is meant to protect the public, often indulges in moral policing too. Like victim blaming, beating and detaining the couples for slightest PDA etc.

Morally policing can also be a hypocrisy. Like a male, roaming shirtless at the beach, will morally police a female who may be wearing a bikini. 

Any rational person will have sense of what to wear in what place/situation. Like no woman will come wearing a bikini to a class or religious place.

This beating to death over hijab or backing off at last minute from interview cause journalist refused to wear headscarf is just a few examples. 

Moral policing do not let us as an individual, practice our basic rights as to what to wear, how to behave (gender expectations), etc. We need to let go of moral policing, especially the hypocrisy, stand against it, but also be rationale about what to where at which place (which most of the people are).