Male tailors shouldn’t take women’s measurements, proposes Uttar Pradesh panel

Men should not take women’s measurements at tailor shops, nor cut a woman’s hair or train her in the gym — these are some of the proposals from the Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission to protect women from “bad touch”.

The radical raft of suggestions, which includes installing CCTVs in gyms, cloth stores and coaching centres, and having a woman for security of students in school buses, comes following a meeting held on October 28.

The commission said it had sent letters on the guidelines — which seem to be an attempt to segregate men and women in public spaces to improve women’s safety — to all district magistrates in the state to ensure compliance.

“There have been increasing complaints of ‘bad touch’ by male trainers in gyms and in boutiques where tailors who take measurements are mostly male,” Babita Chauhan, chairperson of the UP women’s body said. “What we are saying is that it isn’t a problem if the tailor is male, but only women should take measurements,” Chauhan said.

In a press note, the panel proposed that women’s gyms and yoga centres should only have female trainers. The gym and the trainers should be verified, while CCTV and DVRs at the establishments must be operational. Shops selling women’s clothes are required to have female employees, it said. It is mandatory to have a female dance teacher at drama centres and a female security guard or teacher in school buses, the guidelines added.

“We are aware that trained women will have to be employed at all these places and this might take some time. However, it would also help in employing more women,” the commission chairperson added.

Himani Agarwal, a member of the commission, said the proposal floated by Chauhan on October 28 was accepted by the panel. Agarwal said the involvement of men in such professions could lead to incidence of molestation. “The intention of some of the men is also not good,” she said, before adding, “not that all men have bad intentions”.

Agarwal added that it is just a proposal at present and the commission will subsequently request the government to make laws in this regard. The proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with SP MLA Ragini Sonkar saying it should be left to individuals to decide which store or gym they want to go to.

Meanwhile, social workers Veena Sharma and Mohsina Choudhary welcomed the proposal, saying there are many complaints of women being harassed while giving measurements at tailor shops. They said that the proposal should be enacted as law.