Gender

It is fascinating that many gendered boundaries are blurred, such as what tasks each gender is responsible to complete. For instance, it is not an uncommon sight for women to be carrying heavy loads or men to be stringing flowers - tasks that are generally stereotyped to be associated with a specific gender. Men and women are found selling their wares in public, on the pavements or dusty grounds, alongside one other. However, during my visit - at a busy time in the early morning hours - there were few trans or queer individuals in sight, which raises pertinent questions on access and visibility of marginalised identities in bustling market spaces.

But it will come as no surprise, as the video below will show, that the market still predominently is filled with men. Although women are present, the overwhelming presence of men cannot be ignored, and as a woman traversing through the market, I felt conscious and protective of my body as it pushed and pulled against the tide of strangers - mostly male - to make my way through the market.

"Access to public space is dependent not only on 'permission' to be in public, but also critically on the availability of actual material facilities, which make it possible to use these spaces. That is, it is not just the attitude to women in public that prevents women from accessing public space, but also, quite literally, the availability of public space or the lack thereof, as well as the infrastructure and design of the city."

-Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan and Shilpa Ranade, excerpt from "Why Loiter?"

Furthermore, as reflected in "Why Loiter?", an exploration of the agency of women and marginalised individuals to loiter in public spaces, KR market and Gandhi Bazaar were both crucial examples to show that women, even in market spaces, do not loiter without purpose. Men could be found in plenty hanging around corners, laughing with friends and acquaintances, perhaps waiting for deliveries - but rarely was a woman in sight who didn't look like she was consciously trying to keep busy. Even as I panned the camera in their direction, most women turned their gaze away or downwards to avoid being caught directly in my camera's line of sight. Whereas, several men peered into my camera and openly enquired about whether they were caught in the frame. These actions raise questions of safety and gendered perspectives on consent. Thus, it is compelling to note that even though the market breaks some ground in offering an equalising potential between genders, in many other ways traditional gender stereotypes, biases, and societal practices are reinforced.

Sources:

Massey, Doreen. City Worlds (Understanding Cities (London, England).). Routledge, 2000.

Phadke, Shilpa, et al. Why Loiter?: Women and Risk on Mumbai Streets. Amsterdam, Netherlands, Adfo Books, 2011.