Sonali Kulkarni's "Lazy Women" jibe: Controversy or Facts?

Recently, Sonali Kulkarni made a statement on how women in India are "lazy" and often "depend on their husbands or boyfriends for their own needs, without ever working for it themselves."

She said that in India, a lot of women are just lazy and they want a boyfriend or a husband who earns well, owns a house, and his performance at work guarantees regular increments. But in the middle of this, women forget to take a stand for themselves. Women don't know what they will do. She urged everyone to encourage women and make them independent, so that they are capable enough to share the household expenses with their partners. The video of her statement:

https://youtu.be/SQz_lZVHIuE 

Needless to say, social media was divided over this and while a section of fans complemented Sonali for taking such a bold stand, others bashed her for her "irresponsible" and "insensitive" comment.

Subsequently, Sonali issued an apology stating, “Being a woman myself, my intention was not to hurt other women. In fact, I have extensively expressed myself time and again in support of us and what is it being a woman. I’m grateful to all of you for reaching out to me personally to appreciate or to criticize. Hope we will be able to have more open exchange of thoughts.”

So what are your thoughts, are Indian women "lazy"? Or Kulkarni made a mistake by generalising her observation for all Indian women? Do such statements push back the progress made for women empowerment?

Lets debate!

If Indian women are 'lazy' when they don't earn or share family responsibilities outside the house, then Indian men are also 'lazy' when they don't cook and clean and share responsibilities within the house.

Forget about respecting men and women equally.. Are we respecting all women equally when one states only working ladies as not lazy and non-working ladies as lazy? There are thousands of reasons why a woman would chose her family over her career.

Many moms especially from the older generation are non-working. Does that mean they are lazy? I am sure managing a household and all the work associated with it is a lot of work that needs good management skills.

It is said behind every successful man there is a woman. And if a man starts supporting his woman like she supports him for his success, she would have a successful career too. I see many modern men nowadays becoming supportive husbands.

While every woman in the world should be independent, the usage of the word 'lazy' over here is very irresponsible.

Interesting topic, Tanu. I am eager to know what everyone has to say about this issue.

Gone are the days where women where just homemakers. Today most women are working and managing the house too! Most women want to be Independent, Working and want to make their own money because they want to live life on their own terms and live the way they want to. 

Also today Men are supportive too! If you have a supportive husband then life becomes more comfortable! Even if women choose to stay at home and want to be homemakers is not called being lazy. It's their own choice. Running a household is not easy as well. Can we imagine our lives without our mothers? Do we call them lazy? They actually work more than us. And today even if women choose to be homemakers they run home based businesses too! It's a changed world today! Women are more aware of being Independent. 

Sometimes women give up their careers for family so does that make them lazy?! It's all about the choices each woman makes for herself. 

It's a trend to demean other's contribution, just to show off one's biased thinking. 

Being a home maker, is itself a 24/7 job, without any holidays. Even on vacations their duty is on. Just because its on face a non paying job, but in no way running a house, raising children, looking after elders of the family, guests etc is a multi tasking, multi talented work. Its an absolutely regressive thinking by a so called modern thought person, by not valuing  home maker's contribution. 

Some times I feel these so called celebrities require a script writer for what they should speak or not speak in public.

Slams table on head coz facepalm or slamming head on table won't do it🥲

On one hand they keep saying that women need to make their own choices and on the other hand you judge the women for their choices. It should be a woman's choice whether she would like to work outside or take the responsibility of the household. BTW, a lot of women at-home are also looking for ways to work and earn money to support their families. Even if they don't, they shouldn't be put in a box saying they are Lazy.

There are unending issues a woman faces as-is. These kind of statements influences certain people to belittle others and then that leads peer pressure for women effecting mental health. Just STOP Judging. As long as someone is not creating any harm to others you needn't pass statements as such.

I think Indian women were also working outside in old times too. I have seen many poor women working in agriculture, construction work and running shops from my childhood. 

There was a period of time when only boys goes to school and girls were not sent to school. At the time period most middle class women have to do homemaking job. My mother was drop out in class 5 so she was housewives. She is workaholic and I have seen rarely resting. She also learnt some of the basic electrical things like repairing cooler and light, painting in furniture etc. 

We grew up in a time when there was no washing machine, no dishwasher, not enough money to hire maid and lot of kids. And it was really difficult to handle all households things. Also it was a time where woman used to wash and dry wheat (as no readymade wheat flour) and making achaar at free time. Almost all poor and middle class woman did that. There was no way Indian women are lazy.

However time has changed. With many machine available to ease our household jobs and almost every woman are educated enough the question arises whether woman should not be just homemaker and contribute financial or they can choose to be homemaker and it is completely fine. 

Well it's a tricky question and my answer is it depend how they wanna live their life. If it is metro city then cost of living is too much and if you have house helper then better to have some job. If it is just city or town, I think they can manage with homemaker. I have seen most homemaker are now teaching their children at home (advantage of education) as it was previously the job of father. Ya so the work should be divided in a manner where man should not have to do everything.

Summed up perfectly, we as a society need to stop judging. 

I have often noted some male colleagues in office express exasperation at doing some of the simplest household work on weekends, since as per them, it was their wife's responsibility. I found Sonali's statements very damaging and absolutely ignorant. The way it trivialises household work and looks down upon housewives is appalling.

Sorry in advance for the unpopular opinion.

I have never understood any "isms". So, Feminism, Men's Day, Women's Day etc. I may not be an authority to talk on. I just treat it as another reason to celebrate!

Also for a person who is Not in favour of Women's reservation. One can ensure a conducive environment and ensure facilities to support me but NOT reservations in jobs, promotions, seats.

There is no argument here and there cannot be blanket statements or generalization either. There are roles and responsibilities and there is respect and acceptance.

Regardless of which gender takes up the role and responsibility, there should be respect and acceptance. That's it.

In the same way as:

If a woman who chooses to be a housewife to take care of family for whatever reasons should be respected, so should a Man who chooses it.

If couples should divide expenses during dating, the bride and groom should divide marriage expenses too.

🤷🏻‍♀️.

Women who take care of a house, just cannot be called lazy. That is a lot of work. We are still in a phase where primary responsibility of kids fall on women. Taking care of a demanding job and taking care of kids is too much to do together. Lot of Women get tired and choose to focus on their families. They should not be shamed.

It should be left to the woman, whether they want to work or they want to care of their families.