How To Behave Like An ‘Adarsh’ Indian Man (Read: Not A Douche) On Holi

India is a country where even taking a walk on the road puts a woman’s safety in question. On our way to creating a feminist society for everyone, we often have to fight battles no one knows or talks about. I am here to talk about one of those battles – the one we fight every year on the festival of Holi. Now, you’ll probably hate me for making a pious festival like Holi about molestation but hey, you leave me no choice.

Holi is a festival particularly celebrated in the Northern parts of India on a huge scale and thanks to our country’s population, the women who are a part of this mass celebration often become the victims of molestation. So, we bring you a guide on how to behave like an ‘adarsh’ Indian man on Holi.

1. Don’t cover your acts by saying, “Bura na mano Holi hai.” It doesn’t give you a license to do whatever you want.

PTI

2. Don’t throw balloons at a woman. Behave like an adult.

3. Don’t hit her or hurt her.  

PTI

4. If you see someone is getting uncomfortable, stop.

5. If you see someone making a woman or a man uncomfortable, stop them too.

BCCL

6. If they tell you to stop, stop.

7. If she’s enjoying herself at the Holi party, doesn’t mean she’ll let you do whatever the hell you want to.

AFP

8. Don’t put color on a woman from behind, without her knowing.

9. Don’t grab her.

BCCL

10. Don’t grope her.

11. If she says, “No,” she doesn’t want to play, don’t force her.

BCCL

12. Don’t force her to drink whatever it is that you want her to drink.

13. Don’t grab her from behind.

Anindya Chattopadhyay

14. Don’t throw water at women who don’t want to play Holi.

15. Don’t throw semen-filled balloons at women.

Jagran

16. Don’t touch anyone inappropriately, men or women.

17. Don’t try to clinch anyone.

BCCL

18. Understand that difference between good touch and bad touch.

19. Don’t be a douche.  

Reuters