Recent footage of young women swearing during a protest in India has sparked an unusual debate: are expletives worse when they come from women?
Opposition MP Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s description of seeing young women swearing as a “culture shock”. He said, “If boys swear, there is no problem and it is allowed. But if a girl swears, it is a cultural shock.”
The protesters used foul language toward the government and specifically targeted Modi, provoking outrage among his supporters. Even critics of Modi’s politics argued the women had crossed a line.
The protests ended a month ago, but Mohammed’s remarks on the cultural shock surrounding women’s use of profanity have renewed discussion about female activism and public shaming.
The protests were run by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) with demands for education reforms, the Czech stake. Following the protests, Modi shared a selfie video on which he called the language “a culture shock” but forgave the protestors, saying it was deeply disturbing to see young women cursing.
Rahul Gandhi, who leads the opposition in the lower house of Parliament, criticized Modi’s gendered remark at a student gathering in Pune. He highlighted that male and female protesters used profanity alike and questioned why Modi singled out women.
During the debate, a 15‑year‑old girl was targeted by trolls with hostile and threatening messages, making the situation even more precarious. She later apologized for her language and claimed she took down her video, yet the backlash persisted.
Modi later released a more conciliatory statement in an Instagram vertical video that described the use of “extremely abusive expletives” as a “cultural shock.” He called the offensive language “deeply disturbing.”
In the same communication, Modi said it was an opportunity to fix mistakes made in childhood, and that “some naughty children used extremely abusive expletives which have no place in a civilized society.”
Gandhi argued Modi’s focus on women’s language was rooted in patriarchy, pointing to how girls’ freedom to speak is limited while boys enjoy “full freedom.” He urged society to “smash this patriarchy.”
Ramifications also spread into broader public discourse. Journalists and activists noted that women in India often use profanity within cultural rituals, indicating double standards exist in how politicians treat profanity from women versus men; both groups have used swearing when benefits them.
The sociodemographic impact was highlighted by Gali Bandh Abhiyan founder Sunil Jalan, who launched a campaign against profanity. His NGO’s 2024 survey disclosed that 55% of participants from 28 states admitted to using foul language. The popular “Gali Map” reported especially high rates in northern India where people are accustomed to profanity.
Jalan stressed that focusing on the gender of the speaker is less urgent than curbing profanity itself, calling it “a virus that spreads through society.” He hopes the current shift in dialogue may lead to more respectful public speech.
Broader authorities have also witnessed profanity in parliament and courtrooms, with incidents involving speakers from both political parties. Socio‑aristocratic commentators argue that the rise in profanity signals a breakdown of democratic discourse and respect for public deliberation.
