The 'R**di' Debate: Divija Bhasin's Controversial Reel Divides the Internet, Netizens Call Her ‘Tone Deaf’

Divija Bhasin, the popular content creator known as Awkward Goat, recently sparked a major controversy with an Instagram reel discussing the word 'r**di'.

In the video, Bhasin sarcastically stated that she didn't "look r**di enough," quipping, "I need to look r**di-er." After changing into a strappy black dress, she declared, "Many men call women r**di on the internet and also in real life because they've learnt it from their parents, their fathers... They have seen their fathers calling their mothers r**di. And mothers also go on to call their daughters this word."

She then listed common reasons women are called the slur by family members and others: "My followers were called this word by their parents when they shared that they got molested. They were called this for not keeping the cups in the sink, for talking to boys, for wearing makeup, for wearing jeans, for wearing a saree, for having a boyfriend, for rejecting a boy, for using an iPad, for walking, for having breasts. Turns out, just existing as a woman makes you a r**di."

Bhasin concluded her argument by attempting to reclaim the term: "So no, being a r**di doesn't mean you're a sex worker, it just means you're a woman. Women are being called this word for doing anything and everything, and that's why I don't feel bad about it because it doesn't mean anything bad in my opinion. It just means the person calling me this word feels helpless that they can't control me anymore... I want to be a r**di because if I'm not seen as a r**di, that means that I'm actually getting controlled, and that is actually worse."

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A post shared by Divija Bhasin | Mental Health (@awkwardgoat3)

The Power of the Slur

In a subsequent video, the counselling psychologist discussed the discomfort many feel hearing the word. She argued that while the word traditionally referred to sex workers and became an insult, "Now, r**di isn't even referred to sex workers. It's used for any woman who has a voice, any woman who looks like she's independent."

She added that if women stop finding the word insulting, "men will lose the power to use it as an insult." Concluding with a challenge, she declared, "I am a proud r**di, so feel free to call me that. R**di supremacy," she exclaimed.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Divija Bhasin | Mental Health (@awkwardgoat3)

The Internet Reacts

These reels quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism in the comments. One user wrote, "Dude you have got to be kidding me. Not everyone deserves a platform to speak and you are a living example. Literally the most tone-deaf, uneducated advice this is. And for young girls watching this, please don't normalise it." Another follower called out Bhasin for allegedly deleting comments, stating, "Stop deleting the comments and face the reality and answer them."

Other followers argued that turning a word like 'r**di' into a badge of pride doesn't empower women; "it just confuses the next generation," and normalises abusive language. They contended that the word's original intent was to degrade and break women, not to define their strength, and called on the influencer to inspire confidence and awareness, not rebellion against respect.

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The Reclamation Debate

Popular editor and content creator Aishwarya Subramanyam, known as Otherwarya, also weighed in on her stories, focusing on the broader concept of slur reclamation. She noted that similar to reclaiming words like 'slut' or the 'N-word,' the intention is to strip the slur of its power and hurtful sting.

However, she highlighted the strong counter arguments from feminists and leftists: The main argument is that 'r**di' is not Bhasin's word to reclaim, as it specifically refers to a sex worker, not just a woman who 'sleeps around,' unlike 'slut.'

Reclaiming the word is deemed extremely damaging and potentially triggering for sex workers who are often forced into what they do. The word also carries deep casteist implications that cannot be ignored.

Aishwarya concluded by raising the crucial ethical question: "If this is a word used freely to insult women by calling them sex workers, does a woman who has been subjected to the use of the slur have the right to say she will now be calling herself a randi? Or can only a sex worker reclaim it?"

The question remains whether reclaiming the word 'r**di' will lead to genuine women empowerment by neutralising the insult, or if it will simply cause harm and normalise abusive language. For now, Divija Bhasin’s comments have the internet firmly divided.

Image courtesy: Instagram

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