By Shikha Sreenivas
South Indian film actress Trisha has become the target of aggressive and insensitive harassment online by supporters of jallikattu, who also held up the shooting of her film in Tamil Nadu. As if that wasn’t enough, a fake poster announcing the actor’s obituary has been making the rounds on social media: The poster roughly reads — “Deepest sorrows to Trisha who passed away on January 12th as she had been affected with HIV.”
This poster made the rounds after a photograph of her wearing a PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) T-shirt surfaced. Trisha has been associated with the animal welfare group for a long time now, and the organisation has been campaigning against the ancient bull-taming sport. Taking her endorsement of the organisation to mean her supporting the Supreme Court’s decision to ban the practice, she has come under the fire of the jallikattu supporters.
Trisha, later clarified that she “had never spoken against jallikattu at any given point”.
https://twitter.com/trishtrashers/status/820127018113077249
Their aggression took an uglier turn when a fake obituary announcing Trisha’s death began making the rounds. The makers of the poster claimed that she was “affected with HIV” hinting that the actor was promiscuous, because, of course, when you refute a point made by a woman, you just have to reference her sexual life. The poster also insulted her parents, calling them wastrels. Memes claiming that she brought Tamil Nadu’s honour to the roads, are also doing the rounds.
If you thought that the memes were cruel, sick and offensive, replies to Trisha’s tweet makes bile rise steadily to your throat — which only reminds us of that much-needed essay by Amanda Hess, that women just aren’t welcome on the Internet.