My Classroom, Their Playground: Enduring Objectification as an Indian Teacher
In India, teaching is often glorified as a noble calling, but for a young woman like me, it feels more like a daily trial. At 31, I primarily teach high school, and my classes are overwhelmingly male-dominated. The respect traditionally afforded to a 'madam' feels like a cruel, distant dream most days.
It’s a constant battle against objectification. Not all of them, thankfully, but a significant few treat my classroom as their personal playground for disrespect. The whispered crude comments, the lingering, lewd glances, the 'jokes' about my attire – it's a relentless barrage that chips away at my confidence. My heart pounds when I catch them, their smartphones flashing, trying to snap pictures when I’m turned away. I confiscate the phones, but they're always locked, the evidence securely hidden, leaving me utterly helpless.
Sending them out of class is a futile exercise. They return with a smirk, knowing there are rarely lasting consequences. The worst part is the internal war: the burning urge to scream, to make them understand the depth of their violation. But I can't. I'm a teacher; I must maintain composure, dignity, and control. Any 'reaction' from me, especially as a young woman, would only feed their satisfaction or, worse, open me up to further scrutiny from colleagues or even parents who might blame me.
I try to keep fit, often hitting the gym before school. It’s my routine, my way of feeling strong, but it also adds to my anxieties. Am I dressed ‘appropriately’? Will this choice of sari or kurti be misinterpreted? The mental and emotional toll is immense. Each morning, I walk into school, not just prepared with lesson plans, but armed with a silent prayer for strength, hoping to simply survive another day without feeling utterly degraded by the very students I'm here to educate.
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