October 3, 2021

This Week in Human Rights News

Raater Rani: Digital campaign in Bangladesh gains momentum against sexist language in media 

Sources: Global Voices, IFEX, Meye Network, Outlook, Prothomalo 

A digital campaign initiated by Meye Network, a grassroots feminist network in Bangaldesh, has gained momentum in targeting the sexist language used in media and society against women. The campaign has spurred momentum in part by reclaiming the term raater rani, a phrase that refers to the Queen of the Night cactus that blooms once in a year during the night and that has taken on a synonymous meaning with ‘prostitute’.

The campaign comes amidst highly publicised media trials of famous Bangladeshi actresses, specifically Shamsunnahar Smrity (known by the stage name Pori Moni), who was recently arrested for possession of unlicensed liquor and alleged drugs. The media has reported on this and other stories involving famous Bangladeshi women with sexist language, by referring to them as ‘sullied’ and framing them in derogatory ways. 

Following the media frenzy of Shamsunnahar Smrity’s arrest, Trishia Nashtaran, founder and organiser of the Meye Network, started a Facebook profile frame with the label of Raater Rani as well as a hashtag to bring attention to the stories of women, shared by women. The campaign gained traction with the frame as well as an outpouring of personal stories. “If a woman is insulted with the term ‘raater rani’, then I am also a ‘raater rani’,” Trishia Nashtaran wrote in solidarity. In further comments during an interview with Voice of America, Nashtaran added, “In a country like Bangladesh, where economic status and gender are marginalised, moral policing can make a marginalised person more vulnerable.”

The photograph accompanying the thumbnail is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.