I was asked to prove my nationality: Jwala Gutta

The International Women’s Day was on March 8, and the whole world celebrated the occasion. The accomplishments of several women were celebrated on Tuesday and their struggles and commitments were highlighted to one and all. Among them, Jwala Gutta’s achievements were also spoken about.

The Maharashtra-born Badminton star has been an absolute champion. Over the years, she has made the country provide numerous times. Despite all her accomplishments, she too had to face verbal and online abuses.

During a recent interview with News18, Jwala drew light on how she used to get abused for openly expressing her thoughts. She stated that she was even criticized for her looks. The athlete said that she was asked to prove her nationality as well.

“I was criticized about how I am and how I look. When a woman is candid and articulates her opinions freely, it is never taken in a right way. I was called ‘Made in China’ and was asked to prove my nationality,” said Jwala Gutta.

The 38-year-old spoke about the dark side of social media, and how bullies have got a big platform. Gutta mentioned that the power of anonymity has given them the confidence to harass people. Further on, she stated that social media needs to have more stricter policies.

“Earlier it used to be eve-teasing but now they (bullies) have a bigger platform. The power of anonymity has given them the confidence that they can harass or tease anyone without facing repercussions.

Social media policing must become more strict. Sometimes there are young kids using fake IDs to harass women on social media. More than punishment, they need counselling. Regular counselling is important. The kind of words these people have started using, I won’t be surprised if they become violent in real life as well, not just on social media,” she said.