Shashi Tharoor Apologizes For Sexist Tweet About Picture With Women MPs

For the longest time, women in any field have always been underestimated and considered to be present just to beautify a room. But in the last few years, things have changed for the better. There are women in India and around the world that are working and fighting such stereotypes and their achievements speak for themselves. In fact, if you notice, one of the most male-dominated sectors is politics, isn’t it? I mean, for the longest time we’ve not seen many women in power but that has also changed over the years. And so, it was understandable the backlash that Shashi Tharoor got for posting a picture with women MPs on his Twitter and commenting on how Lok Sabha is an attractive place to work at. Yep, that happened. And after that, Shashi Tharoor did clarify it in another tweet by writing that it was supposed to be taken in a humorous spirit.

The Congress MP, Shashi Tharoor posted a picture on his Twitter with six women Members of the Parliament and in his caption stated that Lok Sabha was an attractive place to work in. What was, according to Shashi Tharoor, supposed to be humorous got a lot of backlash from the netizens. The picture posted by Tharoor came at the very start of the Winter Session of the Parliament.

Who says the Lok Sabha isn’t an attractive place to work? With six of my fellow MPs this morning: ⁦@supriya_sule⁩ ⁦@preneet_kaur⁩ ⁦@ThamizhachiTh⁩ ⁦@mimichakraborty⁩ ⁦@nusratchirps⁩ ⁦⁦@JothimaniMP⁩ pic.twitter.com/JNFRC2QIq1

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 29, 2021

In his tweet where he posted a selfie with six women MPs, Shashi Tharoor wrote, “Who says the Lok Sabha isn’t an attractive place to work? With six of my fellow MPs this morning: ⁦ @supriya_sule ⁩ ⁦ @preneet_kaur ⁩ ⁦ @ThamizhachiTh ⁩ ⁦ @mimichakraborty ⁩ ⁦ @nusratchirps ⁩ ⁦⁦ @JothimaniMP”. The picture that he posted included Nusrat Jahan, Mimi Chakraborty, Preneet Kaur, Supriya Sule, Jothimani, and Tamizhachi Thangapandia.

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No sooner did the Congress MP post the picture with the women MPs did he start getting a lot of negative comments for his caption. In fact, people on the internet started terming it as “casual objectification” and concealed sexism. 

Women in the Lok Sabha are not decorative items meant to make your workspace "attractive". They are parliamentarians and you are being disrespectful adn sexist.

— Vidya (@VidyaKrishnan) November 29, 2021

Attractive or inclusive?😁

— Anu Mittal (@anushakunmittal) November 29, 2021

Mr. Tharoor, Loksabha is for Legislation not for taking selfies with women and calling them "Attractive". You are settling a wrong precedent for future MPs.
….@mlkhattar

— MLA Rajesh Nagar (@rajeshnagarfbd) November 29, 2021

Incredible that someone as exposed to equality discourse as @ShashiTharoor would attempt to reduce elected political leaders to their looks, and centre himself in the comment to boot. This is 2021, folks. https://t.co/aPJ3NK4sCW

— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) November 29, 2021

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Following this, Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter once again and tweeted an apology. In his apology, he clarified that it was supposed to be taken in good humour and those present in the picture also were the ones to ask him to tweet it in the same spirit. In his tweet, he wrote, “The whole selfie thing was done (at the women MPs’ initiative) in great good humour & it was they who asked me to tweet it in the same spirit. I am sorry some people are offended but I was happy to be roped in to this show of workplace camaraderie. That’s all this is.”

The whole selfie thing was done (at the women MPs' initiative) in great good humour & it was they who asked me to tweet it in the same spirit. I am sorry some people are offended but i was happy to be roped in to this show of workplace camaraderie. That's all this is. https://t.co/MfpcilPmSB

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 29, 2021

When I read his tweet for the first time even I thought that it was a bit sexist but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that this is a man who is more exposed to equality discourse than any other MP, so did he really mean it? I was torn and after reading his apology, I have to say, I’m still not exactly convinced. 

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