Images

Did this female flashmob in Lahore send the wrong message about empowerment?

Did this female flashmob in Lahore send the wrong message about empowerment?

The internet seems to think so. We ask the brand behind the viral video for their take on the issue.
Updated 10 Sep, 2016

Does dancing on the streets empower women? In Pakistan, some say yes, many beg to differ.

Of late, fashion brands have been trying to stand out amongst the herd by coming up with creative ideas to market their companies, and one such brand is Do Your Own Thing. For an out-of-the-box idea, DYOT hired two NCA students to choreograph a flashmob of five girls dancing to Beyoncé's Run The World (Girls) on the streets of Lahore.

Also read: 6 Pakistani fashion brands that wowed us with winning social media campaigns

The two-minute clip starts with a woman throwing her chaddar to the ground and breaking into a dance after being teased by a male passerby. Seconds later she is followed by four other girls who copy her dance routine.

The video has since been removed after the article was published.

Hours after being posted on Facebook, the video caught the attention of many on social media and instantly received flak for portraying #feminism and #empowerment in the wrong light.

For most, the video failed to portray women's rights in a positive light.

Feminist collective Girls At Dhabas took issue with the video as well, but their post has since been removed from Facebook.

However, one Facebook commentator highlighted that women face different struggles and should not be judged according to one scale or set of values.

But was the idea behind the flashmob to highlight empowerment and feminism? The co-manager of Do Your Own Thing (DYOT) steps in to explain his point of view.

"Our brand is about customization. Our customers can change our designs to suit them, which hasn't been done before in Pakistan," he tells Images.

He adds, "We are a small brand, we can't afford billboards so we wanted to make a viral video. We watched a lot of videos to get inspiration and [finally] reached out to to students from NCA, Saad and Ikram, to help us. Saad managed the choreography and Ikram was the DOP. We shot the film in Anarkali in Lahore, which is next to NCA."

Though many may associate DYOT's video with a recent campaign launched by a local clothing brand under hashtag #ReclaimPublicSpaces, the co-manager dismisses that relation entirely.

"We didn't do this to 'reclaim space,' and we don't claim to be making a stand for women's empowerment through this video. Our brand's perspective is that you should 'do your own thing,' and no one should bother anyone else for how they choose to express themselves," he says.

He admits they were anticipating a response, but not the one they received. He explains, "We expected some kind of reaction to the video, of course, but in hindsight I wish this many men hasn't seen it and commented on it. And then, very soon women started commented on it also, and many said 'this is not empowerment'."

"Well, we're not telling other girls to dance in the streets, but if these girls wanted to dance, why shouldn't we let them? After the video there has been a lot of judgment on the internet about what women 'should' and 'shouldn't' do - isn't that also negative? Why should women be told what they should and shouldn't do?" he questions.

"If I had to use a hashtag to answer to criticism to the video it would be #LetThemBe. If somebody wants to dance, let them," he says.

While it's true that the worth of the ad's final message is debatable, we wonder — does everyone criticising the ad saying that it encourages immoral behaviour or 'isn't ladylike' realise that they're applying to these women the same moral framework of 'achi larki/ buri larki' that allows patriarchal norms to flourish in Pakistan and police women's behavior?

Something to think about!

Comments

Omar Sep 07, 2016 02:28pm
Can't see what could be so wrong about a women dancing in the street. If one feels like dance, let them dance bhai.
Recommend (0)
The Observer Sep 07, 2016 02:39pm
Well definately not, it isn't.
Recommend (0)
Sabin Sep 07, 2016 02:39pm
A wannabe video that only showcases what we can call a 'rich woman's privilege' and had nothing to do with empowerment! And I didn't need to read other people's comments to formulate my own opinion.
Recommend (0)
N A Sep 07, 2016 02:41pm
Controversy is good - good or bad, there is at least a debate over it rather than accepting things as they are.
Recommend (0)
jiyala Sep 07, 2016 02:47pm
Look at all the men in the video staring at girls with their mouths open like they've never seen a girl before.
Recommend (0)
SHOAIB Sep 07, 2016 02:52pm
Really bad . i am not supporting this idea at all.
Recommend (0)
salman Sep 07, 2016 02:54pm
It was a commercial campaign only, nothing else! don't consider anything beyond it & that has nothing to do about women empowerment.
Recommend (0)
charu Sep 07, 2016 02:56pm
Personally, my idea of empowerment is completely different from these women...not to judge, but how does dancing middle of street wearing clothes ( that your rich parents probably paid for) make you empowered Its just being a rebel without a cause. How are you contributing to society? to yourself? Be self reliant, be educated, be capable of taking care of your loved ones, unless you can do that, these symbols of female emancipation dont mean a thing... Flash mobs are an expression of joy, they are not a forum to prove your mettle. but then again, to each his own
Recommend (0)
Haider Sep 07, 2016 02:56pm
You are not winning the world with such dancing skills
Recommend (0)
Kabilan Sep 07, 2016 02:57pm
Flash Mob in Lahore....? Have seen in India. Never expected in Pak ! Thats showing Pakistan in good light ! Really !
Recommend (0)
The Right Left Sep 07, 2016 02:58pm
Yup, very confused idea about feminism and everything around everything else. We all live in a context. Put a chicken in water and expect it to swim... ? that's not liberation, that's stupidity. If this was just a publicity stunt, still bad idea, as your customers were none of those in the street in the video. Unless the idea was to show the deprived part of the city how different they are from the high heeled one. The venue was a total disaster.
Recommend (0)
kash Sep 07, 2016 03:09pm
Women dancing on street - don't mind and don't care but what about the shopper/bag on the road. No wonder the roads and drains get blocked at first rains. Pakistan should introduce charge for bags to encourage people to re-use them. Pakistan should charge 3-5rs a bag We had the 5p bag charge applied here in England last year and know we produced 1/2 Billion less bags as people started re-using existing bags.
Recommend (0)
Salman Sep 07, 2016 03:21pm
No to feminism no to masculinism .only humanism .period
Recommend (0)
Huma Sep 07, 2016 03:22pm
I wonder if you call it empowerment of women.... I am interested to see the reaction of the crowd.. after this all happened, or in the coming days I wonder what that crowd of men was expecting from the passerby women.. remove their dopattas and dance in the middle of street? These so called liberals don't even have an idea what middle and lower class working or non-worker women are facing in their daily routine. I am disgusted to watch it...
Recommend (0)
Salman Sep 07, 2016 03:23pm
Breaking into dance gives you even more stares .yes stares of man are issue in pak .but breaking into dance solves it ? Highly unrealistic video ever made .
Recommend (0)
Shakeel Sep 07, 2016 03:24pm
It's an artistic interpretation of womens empowerment but not one many Pakistani's will understand. The modern understanding of art isn't something that is big in Pakistani society, apart from within the elite and the art community itself. I do think art is a good medium though, despite the lack of government level investment in art, there is a huge appreciation and love for common art forms. Take for example, wall chalking, the poetry on rickshaws or cars, truck art etc, Pakistan has it's own flabour of art. I think these mediums would be a better way to trigger debate.
Recommend (0)
Maher USA Sep 07, 2016 03:42pm
What a refreshing FlashMob on the streets of Lahore! Contrast to LalMasjid ideology of burqa clad women with sticks!
Recommend (0)
Haroon Sep 07, 2016 03:42pm
It is again brands trying to define your culture. Its the ugly face or corporate marketing that will take anything that suits it be it the spirituality of Ramadan, the liberty cause by feminism, altruism of Eidhi to sell their product. Minions just play into it
Recommend (0)
Mir Arif Sep 07, 2016 03:48pm
Well, there's a method to the madness. This is seriously unimpressive.
Recommend (0)
Funga Sep 07, 2016 03:55pm
@Omar - here here... Also, if its distasteful or not anyone's idea, still its ok. Because we need all possible mediums to get this core issue recognized.
Recommend (0)
Dija Sep 07, 2016 03:56pm
Our society is certainly getting carried away and is unable to handle the freedom and empowerment given to the women; there is a difference in between being confident / intellectually strong and being over confident/ getting carried away....with the women in Pakistan, the latter part is unfortunately conceived as meaning of being empowered-that indeed is quite harmful for the society that is losing its moral values and sense of responsibility day by day...how will such women play vital role in raising children with strong values!
Recommend (0)
Mrs.khalil Sep 07, 2016 03:57pm
Some people Want to be famous at any cost, whether the reason is good or bad, this is a personality disorder
Recommend (0)
Ahmed Sep 07, 2016 03:59pm
Bad choreography, bad dancing, poorly portrayed and very badly executed
Recommend (0)
Mullah Sep 07, 2016 03:59pm
Good job girls. I welcome this change on the streets of Lahore. Pakistan needs to come out of medival psychology and understand that woman are also humans and they should be allowed to live life - the way they want
Recommend (0)
Auginpk Sep 07, 2016 03:59pm
It is not about feminism. It is about male dominated society looks at females. Well done girls.
Recommend (0)
Mahmood Sep 07, 2016 04:00pm
Poor attempt at using public venue and ordinary market place for commercial ends. What is Pakistan coming to? Running out of ideas, or desperate to draw the attention of radical groups, and ammunition to the Talibans in their cause??
Recommend (0)
Tahir Sep 07, 2016 04:10pm
Wrong timing and place for a flashmob dance. A spontaneous act imitating an incident which can educate the public espcially the men on treat woman can have a better impact.
Recommend (0)
vaqas Sep 07, 2016 04:30pm
It takes guts, nevermind being a man or a woman. Me personally would not have had the courage to pull off what these five girls did, specially the first one going in alone.
Recommend (0)
karachi Wally Sep 07, 2016 04:48pm
Well done GIRLS! One more contribution towards our campaign for more empowerment and space for woman. Social grooming for Pakistani men is needed!!
Recommend (0)
Taimoor Khan Sep 07, 2016 04:50pm
Western style so called empowerment of women got no place in Pakistani society, and this idea and attempts to prompt this non sense needs to uprooted in its buds. The real empowerment comes from by letting womenfolk in Pakistan to work shoulder with shoulder with the men of this country to put Pakistan to the path of greatness. We in Pakistan, as a state/society have already send a woman to lead us as PM, twice by the power of vote, cementing our credentials that we have no issues in empowering our women. This is the real empowerment. Been there done that. Ironically a champion of women rights and empowerment in west still hasn't got women president throughout its history.
Recommend (0)
Roman Afroz Butt Sep 07, 2016 04:50pm
Very wrong way of showing women empowerment. that is not even close. The empowerment of women is equal participation of women in the socio economic development . this is a wrong interpretation liberal woman
Recommend (0)
shakil Sep 07, 2016 04:57pm
By what stretch of imagination and that is only IF we as a Nation have a stretchable one, does one rate this act as Women Empowerment? A challangging marketting feat, YES..
Recommend (0)
Nasir islam Sep 07, 2016 05:01pm
Brave and beautiful! There should be more dancing like this so that Pakistani maleas should get used to see women as human beings and not gawk at them as sexobjects.
Recommend (0)
KN Sep 07, 2016 05:08pm
The whole point of DYOT, Is to be able to do anything that you like without worrying about the judgment of others whether positive or negative. If these women feel like dancing let them.
Recommend (0)
Touseef Sep 07, 2016 05:08pm
It would have been a success if the message resonated with the people of Pakistan, at Which this campaign fails miserably.
Recommend (0)
Qaiser Sep 07, 2016 05:09pm
Not even worth commenting
Recommend (0)
adeeb Sep 07, 2016 05:20pm
wow they call it great empowerment
Recommend (0)
Pakistani Sep 07, 2016 05:22pm
Cmon guys think of a better way to fight for your empowerment. Not like this. This was just embarrassing.
Recommend (0)
waleed fakhar Sep 07, 2016 05:28pm
This is culture of lahore where children and women meet same treatment/.....
Recommend (0)
Haque khan Sep 07, 2016 05:29pm
Look at those guys the way they are looking at girls. This is what happens when you deprive societies of education. I believe it was a good advertisement. Media should play it's role for women empowerment. Very powerful message here.
Recommend (0)
ahmad Sep 07, 2016 05:32pm
lawn brands empowering women, great. we've seen that at Saphire sale
Recommend (0)
Ali Sep 07, 2016 05:34pm
@jiyala Jiyala sahib...don't be so cool...you were doing the same thing while watching the video...they saw it live...just be yourself .
Recommend (0)
Ash Sep 07, 2016 05:45pm
@Dija When you fail to justify with arguments, you bring children and values in.
Recommend (0)
Nadeem Sep 07, 2016 05:49pm
@Omar I totally agree,
Recommend (0)
Asim Sep 07, 2016 05:49pm
right or wrong may be but good enough to get the discussion started ..
Recommend (0)
Jawad Sep 07, 2016 05:55pm
Like the idea of women empowerment but not fully impressed. What is feminist movement. It is all about gender equility mainly in education, job market, freedom of expression and freedom of speech. What I see in this video is a freedom of expression. Problem is not with dancers rather problem is with the spectators. Look at their faces, eyes, open mouths. Trouble is in their minds and that has to change?
Recommend (0)
Asfand Khan Sep 07, 2016 06:03pm
the maker of this video or the creator of concept knows very well that this is controversial and it will be good for their promotions so it is just a well planed business move so i beg pakistanis please ignore this video and try to move on And one thing more if men stares at women should ignore them
Recommend (0)
Observers Sep 07, 2016 06:22pm
You know what doesn't make sense? A man teasing a chador wearing woman while there are girls sitting on the same street in sleeveless shirts! Maybe I have been away too long
Recommend (0)
Bilal Sep 07, 2016 06:31pm
@Sabin cudnt agree more
Recommend (0)
Rajdeep Anand Sep 07, 2016 06:47pm
Five pretty young women trying to battle a Nation's antipathy for women's rights?! In Pakistan, it'll take much, much more than that! Maybe centuries, maybe not at all!
Recommend (0)
FS Sep 07, 2016 06:48pm
If you had shown her to give him a karate/judo kick, I would have called it empowerment!
Recommend (0)
lafanga Sep 07, 2016 06:53pm
Very poor taste. Please can someone explain to me how the women empowerment is highlighted by bunch of girls dancing provocatively on the street? Quite the contrary, it actually sends the wrong message that women are objects to be ogled at and nothing more.
Recommend (0)
Sunny Sep 07, 2016 07:48pm
Another step towards a "liberal" society.
Recommend (0)
S Sep 07, 2016 08:10pm
Looked more like an advert for lawn suits rather than women empowerment
Recommend (0)
Z Sep 07, 2016 08:13pm
Majority of comments shows our mentality, that we don't want to give freedom to anyone, we want to control everything which doesn't even represent our own business. I appreciate this bold step to break free the oppression of sick society which always tries to takes away the freedom and joys from your life.
Recommend (0)
amber Sep 07, 2016 08:17pm
We Pakistanis take everything tooo serious.
Recommend (0)
Awan Sep 07, 2016 08:20pm
And then the people say that Pakistan is not tolerant. Thees girls danced out in the open. People just gathered. Saw the dance and then disperse in a normal manner. This can only happen in tolerant societies. I am actually happy after watching this video that tolerance is prevailing.
Recommend (0)
Atta Rehman Sep 07, 2016 08:41pm
@jiyala yes probably they have not especially in this design, but eventually they will get used to it
Recommend (0)
Zain Sep 07, 2016 08:44pm
Most of the women can't afford to go NCA, what empowerment NCA want for women.
Recommend (0)
Chris Roberts Sep 07, 2016 09:00pm
This kind of thing is done elsewhere, and also serves to provide some much needed lighthearted entertainment. But since, in Pakistan, a certain segment of society has a hard time loosening up, it will obviously raise some eyebrows. Perhaps reworking the concept to lessen the possibility of giving mixed signals would be the thing to do. Good , though, to see creative minds at work to move things along and get people to 'think outside the box'.
Recommend (0)
Sumit Mazumdar Sep 07, 2016 09:01pm
@Touseef Revolutionaries are always ahead of their peers. It takes time to resonate.
Recommend (0)
Rehman Sep 07, 2016 09:05pm
17% said they 'enjoyed it'. And 13% said it didn't 'bother me'. That is a total of 30%. More than enough for the DYOT brand to succeed in the market and make money. An example of clever marketing using very little money. In all this commenting about 'women's empowerment', people have forgotten that this was actually just a brand trying to market itself with a limited budget, and in my view they have succeeded!
Recommend (0)
jinka Sep 07, 2016 09:17pm
Nothing wrong dancing on the street ....please grow up and get out of the darkness.....the rest of the work is moving so fast.
Recommend (0)
peace Sep 07, 2016 09:33pm
For me "let them do whatever they wants to do" who are we to judge !! Problem is we all are being too nosy on everyone's business..
Recommend (0)
Samina Sep 07, 2016 09:47pm
I totally support it! these girls are fearless and they pushed the boundaries and that's the only way to bring social change. Women empowerment is about letting women and girls do what they want to do! Beyond boundaries, beyond socially acceptable rules and norms! Men here please don't define feminism and women empowerment in any other terms!
Recommend (0)
sali, Tx Sep 07, 2016 10:58pm
its called bollywood influence
Recommend (0)
Aftab Sep 08, 2016 12:05am
The surrounded crowd has not a single women in the crowd? Can't imagine this is the cradle of Indus valley civilization where Women were warriors, bodyguards, Guru, Philosophers and Administrators..
Recommend (0)
Siraj Sep 08, 2016 12:12am
Nothing wrong with the idea .. Just wish they had picked better dancers that was just horrible!!
Recommend (0)
Muhammad Irfanuddin Sep 08, 2016 12:32am
The problem is not the girls dancing, because they wanted to. The real problem to me is the on-lookers and the expression on their faces. The vast majority is not ready for willingly empowering their women folks, they have some ways to go.
Recommend (0)
shepower.pk Sep 08, 2016 12:39am
I don't know why we all notice everything so keenly of women, they have the same right to express anything they want to...!! #Respect Women
Recommend (0)
hirni Sep 08, 2016 01:16am
@Omar agree thats what women want no restrictions on them..they want to be free like men. And no women wants just to dance on street for no reason. this is just a way to show what we want
Recommend (0)
saeeds Sep 08, 2016 01:23am
love it , well done .
Recommend (0)
Asghar Sep 08, 2016 01:48am
If this starts happening a lot then maybe there would be no reason to stare! To paraphrase Manto, "Nahin to phir ghoron kay peechay bhagain gay?"
Recommend (0)
iztraab Sep 08, 2016 01:59am
if you really want woman empowerment, please educate them. dancing on the street will not help when most of the folks on the street don't even know what and why they are doing it.
Recommend (0)
fazal Sep 08, 2016 02:13am
when mental approach is limited,only copycat stuff is generated---why women are given this message that dance in public,minimize your clothes is all that it takes to empowermeant which infact is slavery and being exploited by males in the name of emancipation
Recommend (0)
Waqas Ahmed Sep 08, 2016 02:15am
What beghairti!!! At least have some respect for local culture. I'm sick of these confused desi liberals, who are somehow desperate to impose rotten western culture in a conservative society. If this is women empowerment then we are better off without it. These Desi liberals are no different than right wing fascists.
Recommend (0)
Naveed Anwar Sep 08, 2016 02:26am
Women liberation has to be beyond dancing on streets. Pakistan had elected a woman prime minister twice. We have had multiple women represent in foreign posts abroad. In my humble opinion educating women, giving them equal opportunity at work, in sports and in other faucets of life like to who and when they married will liberate the women. For some women wearing a Hijab is a liberation, so lets not humiliate women by making them dance on the street to prove their liberation:)
Recommend (0)
Naveed Anwar Sep 08, 2016 02:30am
agree, nothing wrong in dancing but it has nothing to do with women liberation. Giving women choices and authority to control and live as they wish:)
Recommend (0)
Naveed Anwar Sep 08, 2016 02:31am
well said.
Recommend (0)
Naveed Anwar Sep 08, 2016 02:33am
Agree very poor performance :) Let's take a poll on the performance:)
Recommend (0)
sa Sep 08, 2016 02:45am
to quote Trudeau "Its 2016" why should a woman not dance wherever she wants to
Recommend (0)
Journal_Pasha Sep 08, 2016 02:54am
Was this a dance or a work out? And why does everything has to be linked to feminism or women empowerment? The guy had an idea - he made a video - so what if some people didnt like it? give him a break!
Recommend (0)
whatTheHell Sep 08, 2016 03:17am
Such wooden dance moves? Quite unfortunate idea in every sense!
Recommend (0)
imp3 Sep 08, 2016 03:39am
the 7th question at above should be: will their message will be given any heed? and in my opinion it is..... NO,as they have made themselves a mere entertainment show and nothing beyond than that,there could have been another platform to air their views in a positive way rather than this.
Recommend (0)
Abraham Haque Sep 08, 2016 03:46am
@charu then who is contributing to the society and what is your contribution
Recommend (0)
Dr. Shahzeb Khan Sep 08, 2016 03:56am
A cheap publicity stunt and definitely not creative. Cultural and traditional values must be respected without it, we are nothing.
Recommend (0)
Friend Sep 08, 2016 04:01am
Great job girls.....do what you want to do!!! Do not pay any attention to idiots who want to judge you.... Just the fact every society needs to let people do specially women....and this may be a very tiny step towards it but atleast it is a step... To hell with detracters
Recommend (0)
Ali Abbas Sep 08, 2016 04:09am
@charu By definition whatever makes you feel strong and in control and powerful is empowering. To do things only that other approve is not necessarily empowering. If these women made a free choice to dance, even if they were paid by a modelling agency is empowering for these women. Then " more power to them". Who care if it suits mine or your sensibilities or if you or I approve of this.
Recommend (0)
sami Sep 08, 2016 04:11am
Two Wrongs Don't Make One Right
Recommend (0)
Arif Ali Sep 08, 2016 04:28am
I can never understand the notion of someone choosing to do whatever they feel like in public and then expecting everyone to pretend as if nothing is happening. It is a basic survival instinct to look at someone or something and make an opinion about them. Even animals do that. Don't expect the public to close their eyes and pretend as if there is nothing because the fact the girls are doing it in public clearly indicates that they intend the public to see it. And just like the girls have the right to do whatever they like (as long as it doesn't violate the laws of the land), the public has the right to make a judgement about what they see. You can disregard their judgment but don't expect people not to form an opinion. So looking at the video, all the men standing around seem to enjoy the dancing girls!
Recommend (0)
Akil Akhtar Sep 08, 2016 04:31am
Just following the west blindly without thinking about their and our moral values...
Recommend (0)
zeshan adil Sep 08, 2016 04:52am
i have no problem in women dancing on streets. Women empowerment is not only important but essential for any economy to pogress. Having said that some people think liberty and empowerment is all about street dancing and doing random stunts.. if you want women empowerment then must do a serious effort to educate men and women both
Recommend (0)
zeshan adil Sep 08, 2016 04:57am
i have another problem - dancing skills were poor and dancing on this music in kurtas looks ugly
Recommend (0)
SHabbir Afridi Sep 08, 2016 05:58am
Come on NCA, you could have done better than this. What happened to ideas of girls sailing, canoeing, catching big game fish, playing footie, soccer, archery or some police woman running after a bad guy, a female officer interrogating terrorists? oh Wait are we considering pakistani and indian girls here? then definitely make them dance and show the power of "female empowerment in a catchy blitz"
Recommend (0)
Ali Sep 08, 2016 06:32am
Now this was left, common for god sake, stop it yar, this is really what our true identity is. On one side we r being prepared n taught to debate on harms of media on culture and on other we want girls to dance on streets showing what??? I ask all those who read this , would you people ever like this happening !!!! I am not saying to go n hide in caves, my point is please no, i dont want this shameless stuff on streets of a country, which is fighting for its existnce, whose people are being blown away, whose ladies are being mishandled, by doing we will only add fuel to the fire....
Recommend (0)
B. Sridhar Sep 08, 2016 06:33am
Feminism in America suffered because the privileged few from urban america led the movement focusing on issues that had little appeal to the vast majority of the common women. It set back the movement by decades. In Mumbai of my youth I remember the students of St. Xavier's, again privileged few, trying to lead a movement of free speech. Coming from a middle class background as a student activist I never felt I had no freedom of expression. The South Bombay crowd was just mimicking the Americans. Why even hd their own Woodstock. Fizzle. Fizzle Fizzle. If you want to turn more than a few heads address the issues that haunt and torment the common women of Pakistan. And there are many. Flash mob is so passé, and the world has moved on.
Recommend (0)
Prahlad Sep 08, 2016 07:06am
Men dance on streets in barats celebrating weddings in India.Dont know about Pakistan.So what if some women danced on a street.It is not immoral but I don't know about empowerment.Is the dance sexual in nature .If yes than its immoral
Recommend (0)
Surtaa Sep 08, 2016 07:29am
It would have been much nicer of they were dancing on a bollywood song.
Recommend (0)
Sania Saeed Sep 08, 2016 07:55am
You know what is offensive? A woman getting stoned to death outside a court house for marrying the man of her choice. This is not offensive. I've been to too many juma bazars and been pinched by two many wear while wearing a chadar to know that whether you wear a burqa or not, men who want to pinch...will pinch!
Recommend (0)
Deb Sengupta Sep 08, 2016 08:11am
Good to see the changes appearing in Pakistan, Lahore always noted been "liberal' city in Pak. Hope Women empowerment will continue and change the society at large.
Recommend (0)
Dija Sep 08, 2016 08:35am
@Ash Its only that people who lack wisdom would not understand my comments for which I cannot blame anyone.
Recommend (0)
Khurram Sep 08, 2016 08:40am
First of all the poll in this article gives 4 options to dislike this ad and 1 option that says "I enjoyed it". Is "enjoyed" the only word to describe this ad positively? This poll itself sums up the state of the society. We are light years behind when it comes to women empowerment. Women need layers of clothing to protect their dignity here. Have you ever seen a western ad where women are being harassed? How many layers of clothing do they need to protect themselves? These flashmob firstly throws away such stupidity. Secondly, when a woman avoids one person harassing her, twenty more arrive. When she simply stands boldly in front, other girls join. Very powerful message. There is no point doing things differently just because you are woman. Do your own thing.
Recommend (0)
Adnan Sep 08, 2016 08:49am
"Let them be" pretty much sums it up! Nothing wrong with dancing...
Recommend (0)
iNcUbUs Sep 08, 2016 08:56am
well I will try to stay impartial to the feminist rhetoric that is spewing on this topic.... the only criticism I have for this presentation is aweful, aweful performances, the performers had stiff body languages and it really didn't help the cause that they run the world. they did not had what it takes to perform in the first place let alone do a flash mob.... and no it does hurt to do something this bad....
Recommend (0)
Sara Sep 08, 2016 09:13am
I feel there is nothing wrong about women dancing in the street. Women in Pakistan should empower themselves and not allow men to keep them or treat them like slaves.
Recommend (0)
Muhammad Imran Sep 08, 2016 09:13am
our historical society based on some moral limits which cannot be exceeded anyway. this is not the right way to get unlimited women's empowerment. empower should be limited.
Recommend (0)
Dr. Asad Sadick, Germany Sep 08, 2016 09:15am
The only thing wrong is that males need to emancipate themselves and not stare like wolves. The comments are another example of male-chauvanistic upbringing.
Recommend (0)
Rekha Sep 08, 2016 09:31am
@Omar Dont say it like this. Dont say if "a woman" wants to dance on the street. Start with "if my mother, sister and wife" wants to dance in the street then let them bhai. Only then you will be a genuine liberal who applies to others what he himself would proudly own and adopt. Otherwise you are as much a hypocrite as ISIS / Taliban blah blah.
Recommend (0)
Ahmad Gul Sep 08, 2016 09:33am
It is rather a pathetic and ridiculous idea , born out by the reaction of people . It's not empowerment , it is a real type of servitude where women may not decide what they need . Filming in anakarli and showing off the lusty faces of people watching the act with protruding eyes is,indeed,not empowerment or women rights . These feminists are very fond of ridiculing the traditions and customs , but being iconoclasts do not mean they have a right to show what their low level of morality prompts you to show . Moreover , the ones who made it happened have justified their idea with irrelevant reasons . I never stand by this idea . Mannequins are everywhere , for they are not aware of what is right and what is wrong.
Recommend (0)
sf Sep 08, 2016 09:39am
Wrong heading, this was not about women empowerment, the girls were pd. to perform and to sell a brand noting do with empowerment.
Recommend (0)
Sutirtha Sep 08, 2016 09:46am
i didnt understood the criticism? whats the problem? lynching men, is the problem with men. correct them. Why others have to be changing themselves because of them?
Recommend (0)
Sutirtha Sep 08, 2016 09:52am
in India, Flash mob is very often. I work in a tech park and there are nearly 50 companies are there in this park including some biggies like IBM, lenovo, etc and in many occasions or promotions there are flash mobs (mostly girls). People claps , enjoys and move on. Its never been a issue here.
Recommend (0)
Syed Naveed Termezi Sep 08, 2016 10:09am
What this stupidity has to do with empowerment? Empowerment is about leading a good life with all morals, principles & believes. Just a dance, but no, it is not ! Kinda stuff must be discouraged. We live by an ideology. We must respect it.
Recommend (0)
Awais Sep 08, 2016 10:27am
WomenEmpowerment sold for a brand to catch public attention in the streets of Lahore. They were posturing like....You harass us, dare to do your own thing in public.... and they did with RS10. Pathetic! However, this is scatological in our culture and will be well responded.
Recommend (0)
s kumar Sep 08, 2016 10:29am
frankly , expected a better dance performance . its just average for first time. but - keep it up ! keep trying
Recommend (0)
Dipak Singham Sep 08, 2016 10:38am
When Bollywood actor & actresses dancing on street & Gardens most of the people liked that & enjoy those songs but here only 30% (17% enjoyed & 13% not bother) support these brave girls.
Recommend (0)
Sana Sep 08, 2016 10:54am
It only shows the disconnect our fashionable elite has with the masses and their actual issues. It was not a representation of any segment of population nor it highlighted any true problem.
Recommend (0)
Zuhaib Ahmed Sep 08, 2016 11:03am
Is this the advertisement and marketing nowadays to make such ad which can cross your boundaries, society ethical norms and become viral? Can't we make such positive ads which can also be viral? Why are marketers always going for such pathetic ideas which can put a negative image on your brand? Please avoid the short cuts or susti shorat concept and do something effective. This ad really shows how much creativity and potential your marketing team has.
Recommend (0)
The Right Left Sep 08, 2016 11:07am
@Kabilan Asians need to remember and follow their own culture. Its rich and respectful. Ape-ing the west, is not what we need. Next thing you know our folks will be bleaching their skins white. Will that make our lives any better ?
Recommend (0)
Faheem Sep 08, 2016 12:02pm
if there is nothing wrong with women dancing then what is wrong with men staring? if you stand for freedom then stand for both genders dont be femi-nazi
Recommend (0)
Freeha Sep 08, 2016 12:48pm
The brand could have used any other idea for advertisment. Why every time exploit the modesty of women to use as an idea for advertisment? Even the product is male like after shave or deodorant. well this ad in no way delivers the idea of do what you want primarily rather its also the same idea of using women as a show piece to advertise.
Recommend (0)
srehman Sep 08, 2016 01:56pm
The issue is whether this was suggestive of something...which I suspect it was supposed to be on some level. Liberation is a mental thing not a physical thing. Let them dance if they want to dance but if they are doing so because they perceive this as being reflective of empowerment they are simply replacing one set of slave rules (eastern) with another (western).
Recommend (0)
samreen Sep 08, 2016 03:44pm
What wrong thing Q.B did?She only didn't have big brand and rich,literate background.If these girls are feminist, then,she was also doing DYOT.
Recommend (0)
Jibboo Sep 08, 2016 03:46pm
Most people of preconceived notions of what feminism out be about, etc. Then, there are those that oppose anything "western" and yet others are against women not wearing their dupattas and "baring" themselves in front of strangers. Well, none of these folks got it. It was exactly what had been meant to be: For every (young) woman--Be yourself and do what you like.
Recommend (0)
Amy Sep 09, 2016 04:15am
Triple cringe !!!
Recommend (0)
The believer Sep 09, 2016 07:26am
These women look angry...very angry...dancing is suppose to make a person happy, but they are not. They are telling the world, here we stand and here we are. Deal with it. This video is thought provoking.
Recommend (0)
SQ Sep 09, 2016 04:08pm
Linking a woman's empowerment to her clothes is not empowerment at all. When you tell a woman that she can't "do her own thing" if she wears a burka or she won't be taken seriously if she wears a bikini is when you take away her choice and replace it by your own twisted, perverted ideas of how women should behave or appear in public. Do you know what a woman's "right" is? Right is when she can wear a burka if she wants, a capri if she wants, a short blouse if she wants, a long shirt if she wants. It's about her own choice. And its about accepting that in order to "do what she wants" she doesn't need to be told to be dressed in a certain way.
Recommend (0)
zaffar Sep 09, 2016 04:35pm
This is of course not good idea from local culture perspective but from marketing of cloths of company, they have no limits. one should respect local culture, majority of ladies don't want to dance and dance in streets is out of question.
Recommend (0)
Kashif Sep 09, 2016 11:33pm
Pakistanis will keep on harping about cultural and religious norms. Which just happen to be the very reason why women in Pakistan are in such a bad place. But let's just ignore facts, that's what we pakistanis do best anyway.
Recommend (0)
Anonymous Sep 11, 2016 08:17pm
@zeshan adil what the hell do kurtas have to do with this. I don't have an opinion on this video but let me just make one thing very clear for you. This is Pakistan. We are muslims. We wear shalwar kameez and kurtas. What the hell is wrong with you? You wanna see t-shirts and all that then go somewhere else. For goddsake man pull yourself together??
Recommend (0)