UP women’s commission recommends banning men from taking women’s measurements, cutting hair

UP Women’s Commission proposal: In a recent proposal, the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission suggested that men be restricted from tailoring women’s clothing or cutting their hair, citing issues of "bad touch" and potential ill intentions.

Proposal for protective measures

The UP State Women’s Commission has called for measures to prevent male tailors and barbers from serving female clients, aiming to reduce instances of inappropriate behavior. The proposal was put forward following a commission meeting held on October 28, with suggestions including the installation of CCTV cameras in tailoring shops and salons.

Himani Agarwal, a commission member, shared with PTI on Friday, “At our meeting on October 28, a proposal was raised suggesting that only female tailors should take measurements for women’s clothing. Additionally, it was suggested that CCTV cameras should be installed in tailoring shops to monitor interactions.”

Support from commission members

The commission’s chairperson, Babita Chauhan, introduced the idea, which received backing from other members present. Agarwal also noted, “We’ve proposed that only female barbers should attend to female customers in salons.”

Concerns over misconduct

Agarwal emphasized that the proposal addresses concerns about inappropriate conduct by men in these professions. “Our view is that, in some cases, women experience molestation due to men being involved in such professions. Some men may engage in inappropriate touching or have ill intentions,” she explained. Agarwal clarified, however, that this was not an assumption about all men in these roles.

Currently, the recommendation is in the proposal stage, and the women’s commission intends to urge the state government to consider it for legislation in the future.