Purportedly started by a men’s rights group on January 19, in response to the Delhi HC hearing arguments on the criminalisation of marital rape, the hashtag surfaced as one of the top trends on Twitter. Here is a gist of the goings on
Representational photo/istock
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The Delhi High Court is hearing a petition challenging the validity of the exception to Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, which does not consider forceful sexual intercourse by a man with his wife as rape, if the wife is over 15 years of age. It brings to light the immunity granted in law for sexual violence against women and disregard of consent within marriage.
Meanwhile, as the debate unfolds, several men – and a few women – on Twitter have started calling for #MarriageStrike.
What is this hashtag about?
The trend was supposedly started by the ‘Save India Family Foundation’, a men’s rights activism group, which believes the criminalising of marital rape will be misused by women. “False allegations are not a joke. They have caused severe mental trauma in millions of men,” it stated.
Lawyers and Delhi High Court judges can stop treating men as 2nd class citizens and meet our basic demands, then they can call for any number of laws for women. Till then, it is #MarriageStrike & #MGTOW.
— Save Indian Family Foundation (@realsiff) January 20, 2022
One can freely download this picture and share to people in Twitter. pic.twitter.com/lk6t6aJywZ
Calling out the misogyny of #MarriageStrike
There has been backlash against the hashtag too. Several questioned the intentions of men threatening to go on a marriage strike, in both sombre and humourous tones.
Men tweeting in favour of #marriagestrike are potential rapists. Possible rapists. Previous rapists. Why would any man who is self-respecting not want for marital rape to be criminalised? How can there be legal protection for rape only becauseit happens in a marriage?
— Dr Meena Kandasamy (is on hiatus) (@meenakandasamy) January 19, 2022
Men on #MarriageStrike- is it a threat or a promise?
— Aditi Mittal (@awryaditi) January 19, 2022
The #MarriageStrike is the greatest feminist move Indian men have ever pulled. Not only are you saving lakhs of women from being trapped in abusive households with predators and enablers, you are also making Engels proud and exposing the awful institution of marriage
— monkë (@UP16stanaccount) January 19, 2022
More power✊
Support for the hashtag
In various tweets that have emerged on the hashtag over the last two days, men say they will stay away from marriage because, according to them, the institution only favours the rights of women –
If you say 'Yes' than it can amount to #MaritalRape ,
— Roopenshu Pratap Singh (@roopenshu) January 20, 2022
If you say 'No' than it amount to DV;
It's better go for #MarriageStrike , cos Men doesn't have any legal protection in India. pic.twitter.com/udySd0eO81
#MarriageStrike
— Thor's Hammer (@smartadis) January 20, 2022
Men get zero empathy and justice from Govt, Judiciary and police
Any men’s right group that actually is helping men out, is fighting an uphill battle.
Appears that women's personal issues in today's society are more important and valued than that of men pic.twitter.com/F5IbGXj8gr
Just woke up and I’m seeing #MarriageStrike all over my timeline. I believe it’ll help innocent men. pic.twitter.com/01yf7KyzqV
— Road Runner 🇮🇳 (@iwinfairly) January 19, 2022
A few women tweeted in favour of the hashtag –
Ideally, it's feminists who should trend #MarriageStrike in India because according to them all that married women in India go through is violence, oppression, #MaritalRape , dowry demand, unpaid labor & immense abuse at the hands of husbands and in-laws
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) January 20, 2022
Mat karo shaadi fir
#MarriageStrike trending is not a joke, I have two(male) cousins and one nephew of marriageable age but they don't want to marry. They simply ask, what is the use of marriage when we r going to loose ultimately. And I cannot convince them as I see same.
— @Author_ Jyoti (@jyotitiwari05) January 19, 2022