Andhra minister calls for end to gendered insults, urges equal responsibility for women

Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh), May 27 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday urged society to abandon gendered insults, stating that women must be given equal responsibility and security.

Addressing Mahanadu 2025 (the party’s ongoing annual conclave), Lokesh highlighted phrases such as “don’t cry like a girl” and “have you worn bangles?” as demeaning and rooted in outdated norms that hinder social progress.

“From party positions to all sectors, women must be given equal responsibility and security,” he said during his address.

The minister emphasised that laws alone cannot bring societal change, noting that real transformation begins at home, through changes in mindset and everyday language.

He urged people to stop using such expressions to foster genuine respect and equality for women.

Only by eliminating such language can society achieve the meaningful change it aspires to, Lokesh added, calling for collective responsibility in driving progress. PTI MS GDK SSK