Society is evolving, men are now talking about sanitary pads: Supriya Sule

women definitely need to be in Politics.

(Supriya Sule, the young MP from Maharashtra is the daughter of NCP veteran Sharad Pawar. Supriya spoke to Purnima Sharma about her views on issues related to politics, media, gender equality etc.)

Q: How did you come in politics?
Supriya Sule: Destiny has got me into politics. Nothing was planned or any such thing.

Q: What is your view on the present status of women politicians in our country?
Supriya Sule: Well, women definitely need to be in Politics.

And we have asked for women reservation bill consistently and NCP has always supported. Ours was the first state to implement women reservation in this country when Mr. Pawar was the chief minister. He started with 33% and women did so well that we took to 50%. Ours was the first real reformer state which took this initiative in the country. So clearly we are very progressive state and we unanimously did it and we hope that the women reservation bill gets done very quickly.

Q: Where do you see yourself as a politician in other 5-10 years?
Supriya Sule: Contributing to making sure malnutrition gets eradicated. We live in a gender-equal society where education, healthcare, basic necessities are available and are not a luxury. I hope I can contribute to this change.

Q: How is your experience of dealing with media?
Supriya Sule: Well, it’s a mixed thing, just depends on how much you let them interfere. Of course, they have their moments; sometimes I feel they are insensitive to a lot of private things. I think I grew up in a very conservative Indian media but technology has changed everybody’s life. We all have to change with it. So there are some parts of it which are wonderful because more accountability and transparency has come into the system. But sometimes I feel it’s intrusive, sometimes you are having lunch with your family and your children or your spouse may not be interested in being photographed. Sometimes, I feel it can be invasive.

But, I don't blame it on media, I blame it on technology.

Q: What is your view on media coverage of women politician?
Supriya Sule: I think its gender-equal thing. So, there is nothing different about a man or a woman. I don’t think I am a woman politician, I just think I am a politician. I am very gender-equal about all this.

So, I can’t expect that we should get something different, not at all. It’s a gender-equal game. When I started as a member of parliament, it’s not because I am a woman, because I am a human being. I don’t think that way. I don't think it’s a gender issue.

Why there should be something special for women, I think we should be equal. If it’s an MP, it’s an MP. There is no man or woman; both do an equal representation of voters. It’s not that I represent women more than men or men represent men more than women. There is no such thing.

Q: What’s your opinion on your media coverage during election campaigning period and after you were elected?
Supriya Sule: It’s part of the game. Politics is called public life. So, you are bound to be used to it. You can’t hide; it is a high profile job. It is a choice we made with our eyes open.

Q: Do you think women politicians get equal opportunity to access people directly and through media?
Supriya Sule: Every opportunity for a man or a woman is what you make out it.

Q: Do you see any difference in coverage of women politicians in local media, regional media or national media?
Supriya Sule: No, our regional media is also equally responsible and aware today.

Q: Do you see any difference in coverage of women politicians in English media or Hindi media?
Supriya Sule: No, not at all. I don’t think there is gender bias in media at all. I think, there are probably more women anchors than men.

Q: Do you agree with the perception that women politicians have the clout or elite class gets more space in media, but there are limited opportunities for women politicians from lower middle class?
Supriya Sule: That is not true. There have been very wonderful grounded politicians in India over a period of time. Of course, then it applies to men as well. It’s not only women; it’s applicable to men also.

Q: Do you agree that media puts the feminine attributes over and above the political Insight and policy-making experience of women politician?
Supriya Sule: Look at this, the President of India was a woman, today the Lok Sabha speaker is a woman. The largest opposition party is led by a woman. So, I don’t think that. Jaya Lalitha had been considered one of tallest leaders in Indian politics. So is Mamta, so is the Rajasthan Chief Minister. So many women have done exceptionally well in Politics.

So, Indian politics has seen a lot of women doing exceptionally well.

Q: Do you think media portrays a stereotyped image of women politicians?
Supriya Sule: No, not really.

Q: Do you think women politicians are often portrayed as associated with a powerful politician or as a delegate of an influential man?
Supriya Sule: No, there is a lot anyway said about children who are born into a political family. So, there has been a lot of women like that and there are also men like that. I mean, there are sons and daughters. I don’t think it’s fair to say about only women, even men get criticized.

Q: Do you think media depiction of women politician many a time tantamount to sensationalising and scandalising them?
Supriya Sule: No, not at all. No, I never feel that ever. I mean glamour, sensation never work for me. I have been in politics for over a decade now. Neither works for me. I mean, they never called me sensational or glamorous or any such thing.

Q: Do you think media generally ask the gendered questions to women politician?
Supriya Sule: No, not at all. I have spoken on the nuclear deal agreement as much as talk about any issue. There are no women and men issues in politics. There are issues. Some could be close to your heart; some could be close to my heart.

It is so wonderful to see nowadays men talk about serious health issue regarding women. Menstruation is being discussed by men today. Asking for sanitary pads you need an Akshay Kumar to talk about it. Men are not hesitant to talk about it, college boys are talking about it. I think society as such is evolving. Of course, gender biases are deep in people’s hearts. Female foeticide is a big issue today in the country even in the twenty-first century, but these are societal issues.

But then, Politics is different from societal issues.

Q: Do you think Indian media is not gender-sensitive and gender bias is a big problem in media?
Supriya Sule: I never felt, ever. I don’t think that media had ever been gender harsh or anything. Not at all. Look at the top, all the women who do so well in television. I mean the big anchors, so many of them are women, and they are doing exceptionally well.

Q: In your opinion, how media covered women politicians?
Supriya Sule: Look at Sonia Gandhi, She is a classic example. Nobody ever thought she is a woman. She is always looked upon as a tough woman, the Congress president for the maximum number of years in the history of the party. I don’t think they have ever taken her lightly.

Q: Do you think media needs to review its approach towards women politicians?
Supriya Sule: I don’t think media is harsh or demeaning to women politicians, not at the national level, not in my state clearly. They accepted Mamta didi so well, Rajasthan CM so well, Mrs Gandhi senior and junior at different times.

I don’t think they (media) looked at women badly ever.

http://www.indiasamvad.co.in/special-stories/hope-women-reservation-bill-gets-done-quickly-supriya-sule-28118