Indian court overturns ban on women working as make-up artists

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Nora

@CineFanLuver

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

Today in women empowerment news:

Indian court overturns ban on women working as make-up artists

11:12 AM

November

2014

Dpa/New Delhi

India's Supreme Court has ruled that women should be allowed to work as make-up artists in the film industry, overturning a decades-old tradition that made the profession a male preserve, reports said on Tuesday.

The 59-year-old practice barred women from becoming make-up artists although it allowed them to work as hair-stylists. India has one of the world's biggest film industries.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the practice was discriminatory, the Indian Express newspaper reported.

"How can this discrimination continue? We will not permit this. It cannot be allowed under the constitution," Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit were quoted as saying.

Bollywood trade unions had opposed a 2013 petition by a group of women, saying it would hurt the livelihoods of men, but the court said this was illegal.

It directed the unions to remove conditions barring women from working as make-up artists. "We are in 2014, not in 1935. Such things cannot continue even for a day," said the court, adding that gender-bias should be put to an immediate end.

Besides Mumbai, which is home to Bollywood, other cities including Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad also have their own film industries. Regional federations all had barred women from the job.

The court criticized state governments for not acting earlier against the gender discrimination.

Bollywood stars like actress Sonam Kapoor also campaigned on the issue, saying it reflected the larger gender bias against women in Indian society.

Female makeup artists can legally work in indian cinema now. 👏 🥳

Edited by BollyFanLuver - 11 years ago

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Zazzie

@.Bongsookie.

Sparkler

Posted: 11 years ago

What a ridiculous ban in the first place. Glad they removed it.

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Kulfii.

@Kulfii.

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

👍🏼 Indian Express- Supreme Court says women can be make up artists.

"How can this discrimination continue? We will not permit this. It cannot be allowed under our Constitution. Why should only a male artist be allowed to put make-up? How can it be said that only men can be make-up artists and women can be hairdressers? We don't see a reason to prohibit a woman from becoming a make-up artist if she is qualified," said a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit.

"You better delete this clause on your own. Remove this immediately. We are in 2014, not in 1935. Such things cannot continue even for a day," the court told the Cine Costume Make-up Artists and Hair Dressers Association (CCMAA). The court said the film industry, as a unit, could not be allowed to prolong this "gender bias".

The court was hearing a petition by Charu Khurana and other women make-up artists, who were rebuffed by the CCMAA when they sought make-up artist cards. Khurana qualified from the Cinema Make-up School, California, but her application for membership was rejected by the CCMAA in 2009 because she is a woman.

The bench directed the body to come back with a "positive response" within a week. Khurana's counsel, Jyotika Kalra, complained that Maharashtra's union refused to delete the clause even after a state government order. "Don't worry. If they don't do it this time, we will order deletion," assured the bench.

It also expressed its displeasure at the Centre's counsel asking for more time to collect information from across the country on this issue. The court said that besides Mumbai, only Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad have film industries and all the regional federations bar women from the job.

"There are industries only in a few states and the government should have taken a stand by now. But we will do it ourselves now," said the bench, turning down the government's request to grant additional time.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sc-says-women-can-be-make-up-artists/#sthash.DKM4iHDf.dpuf

Edited by SG200 - 11 years ago