User:George Swan/Bikini controversy at Kolkata's St. Xavier's University
In August 2022 news broked that St. Xavier's University, located in Kolkata had either fired one of their professors, or forced her to resign, over concerns pictures of her in a bikini damages the University's reputation.[1][2] The University is run by the Roman Catholic Church's Jesuit order.
In 2021 an 18-year-old student's father complained when he caught his son looking at the Professor's bikini pictures.[1] Commentators expressed surprise over the University taking those complaints seriously. They pointed out that (1) the pictures were not in a public album, but rather in an album she shared with friends; (2) that the complainant's son was an adult, who didn't need parental protection; (3) that the images in question were quite tame, by today's standards; (4) the pictures predated her hiring by the University.
Accounts differ as to whether she was fired, or was forced to resign.[3][4] Chennai Memes reports that, not only was she terminated, but that the University demanded payment from her of Rs 99 crore - approximately $12.4 million USD, claiming damage to its reputation. Chennai Memes reported she has counter-sued for wrongful termination.
The Professor questioned how the complainant and the University were able to access her photos, asking whether her account had been hacked.[4] She said she use a pair of photos of her, in a blue bikini, to illustrate an Instragram story. She said that, not only was the story only shared privately, it was the nature of instagram stories for them to expire, after 24 hours, so the image should not have been accessible to anyone, even those on her list of trusted associates, after that time.
The professor earned her undergraduate degree at St. Xavier.[5] Her subsequent degrees, including her PhD, were earned at Universities in Europe.[6]
The professor described being asked to meet with senior administrators of the University, who had been given copies of her private images.[5] She said they disputed her assertion the images were private, and that their characterizations of her images was an instance of "slut-shaming".[6]
The day after the meeting where she learned her images had been clandestinely acquired she tried to file a report of hacking with the local police.[5] It was only after a letter to the Police Commissioner that the police started an investigation.
On August 10 and 12, 2022, students organized protest rallies in support of the fired professor.The Wire (India) [7]
On August 18, 2022, News 18 reported that Ratnaboli Ray, an award winning psychologist, posted her own bikini pictures, to support the professor.[8] She called on celebrities who shared her belief that the professor had done nothing wrong, to join her, and post bikini pictures of their own. News 18 reported that celebrities who followed her example included: Payoshni Mitra, Anisha Pal, Bidipta Chakraborty and Rupsa Guha.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Niha Masih. An Indian professor posted a swimsuit photo. Then her life fell apart., Washington Post, 2022-09-04. Retrieved on 2022-09-04.
- ↑ St Xavier's Kolkata Teacher 'Slutshamed', Forced To Quit After Student Looked At Her Swimwear Pics On Insta, Outlook India, 2022-08-10. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “As per reports, the teacher was forced to quit by the college authorities for putting up "objectionable" posts on her Instagram feed which the college authorities claimed was "besmirching" the reputation of the institution, The Wire reported.” mirror
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedchennaimemes2022-08-10 - ↑ 4.0 4.1 St Xavier’s Kolkata 'Forces' Prof to Quit as Students Looked at her Bikini Pictures on Instagram, News 18 (India), 2022-08-09. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “A former assistant professor at St Xavier’s University in Kolkata was allegedly asked to quit after a parent complained that he had noticed his son looking at photos of her in a bikini on Instagram.” mirror
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Woman professor sues Kolkata's St Xavier's University; says forced to quit over Insta pics, Business Today, 2022-08-10. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “The professor is also an alumna of St Xavier’s.”
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 St Xavier’s Kolkata professor forced to quit the job and asked to pay Rs 99 crores for posting ‘objectionable’ pictures on Instagram: Details, Op India, 2022-08-10. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “The lady also added that she was slut shamed, taunted and harassed by the University members.” mirror
- ↑ Indradeep Bhattacharyya. 'We Students Are With You': Xavier's University Students Reach Out to Ex-Prof, Protest on Campus, The Wire (India), 2022-08-12. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “Previously, on August 10, a handful of students from different colleges and universities of Kolkata and nearby areas assembled in front of SXC on Park Street with placards, raising slogans condemning the action against the teacher. The college authorities tried to drive them away, but they stood their ground.” mirror
- ↑ Salmali Das. Celebrities Post Pics in Swimsuits Stating 'Take That Xavier's', Support Professor Sacked Over Instagram Photos, News 18 (India), 2022-08-18. Retrieved on 2022-09-04. “Ratnaboli Ray started a campaign on Facebook on Wednesday. Posting a photo of herself wearing a swimsuit, she wrote, 'Kanchkola'. She added according to her opinion, 'Teacher’s attire is a personal choice, students shouldn’t get bothered about that. An institution who does not understand this, need to extent their periphery'. She also requested other people of the society to raise their voice and post pictures in swimsuits.” mirror