NCW And Raped Woman And Salman - Euphemisms And EuDontSayMisms

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/lifestyle/showbiz/live-salman-khans-raped-woman-remark-sparks-outrage-on-social-media/291554/:  How insensitive of Salman to say that he felt like a raped woman while shooting for a movie. 

What he went through while shooting was just a physical pain which in no way equals the emotional pain and humiliation that a raped woman goes through. What he did was of his own volition. While in the case of a rape it is not consensual. 

How could Salman even think of using such an analogy? His remark is indeed unfortunate. How could a self respecting man say such a thing about a self respecting woman, as some of the people in the article have commented.

That brings me to a related question.

What are the rules while using analogies? Which analogies are kosher and which are in poor taste?

Anything to do with minorities or women or children are not acceptable. It doesn't matter if it explains things better. Ends are not justified if the means are wrong. Especially when the Means is insensitive to certain people. Here are some examples:

• "Kitna buzdil hai wo! Chooriyan pehenni chahiye us ko" - no no, not allowed
• "This man is very childlike. He has the IQ of a 7 year old" - no no again
• "The woman is an amazon" Hmm may be ok but still perhaps better avoided.
• "I am aching in every part of my body. I have been hit and punched and squeezed.. I feel like I have been living the past hour in a washing machine." This is fine, though it seems very much like what Salman said, the reference is to a washing machine and not to a woman.
• "tu ek baap ka aulaad hai tho.." -  dangerous territory. Though there is no direct reference to women here one can still sense an insult that is being conveyed. Though I am not sure whether two men can ever contribute half a Y chromosome each in the making of a baby.
• "You are bleeding all over. Didn't you wash yourself? Don't you ever look at your face after you shave?" - this is ok even when a woman says this to a man who is not a close relative. But no, a man cannot say something similar to a woman who has a noticeable stain.. Repeat cannot.

 Published on

6/21/16, 1:08 PM

India Standard Time