Ongoing discussions on gender neutrality are deviating from genuine concerns, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) organising general secretary E.T. Mohammed Basheer has said. “A change in dress code will not ensure gender equality. No one is against children wearing clothes of their choice,” he told reporters on Friday.
Mr. Basheer who alleged an ‘agenda’ to direct the discussions into a different channel, however refused to reply to questions about IUML State secretary M.K. Muneer’s statement that gender neutrality would render Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act redundant.
Maintaining that he was not bound to respond to the comments of other people, he said that Dr. Muneer and IUML State general secretary in charge P.M.A. Salam would clarify. The problem, Mr. Basheer said, arose when people were told what to wear. “Let children wear the clothes they like. The discussions should be rather on gender justice,” he added. Dr. Muneer’s comment in a seminar on Thursday that gender neutrality, if implemented, could lead to child abuse, had kicked up a controversy.
