The Fearless Run - A 3K Midnight Run with Milind Soman
- Around 120 women participated in the fearless midnight run to prove their solidarity and showcase their ‘fearless’ nature by running together at midnight.
Chennai, July 14th, 2019: United Sisters Foundation organised a novel event in Chennai, the Fearless Run - A 3K Midnight Run
with Milind Soman at Besant Nagar. One of the most common concerns women across
the globe have while stepping out to run or exercise is safety. This was
their way of reclaiming their space and owning the roads. The run demonstrated
passion for a healthy lifestyle, love for freedom and respect towards one’s
body.
Every woman who
becomes a part of the Fearless Run, learns that all spaces are theirs to be
claimed and it is time to forego the stereotype of a woman being confined to
the indoors after dark. If appropriate precautions are taken on a personal
level, there are no spaces that cannot be explored, no avenue that cannot be
touched, and no one that can be stopped from exercising their free will.With
this step of the Fearless Run, this picture of women standing their ground
permeates through society and this restriction of not being allowed to
move freely after midnight is quashed.
At the flag-off,
Pinkathon Mentor Milind Soman highlighted the importance of being careful while being fearless and
reaching out to support groups like the police, where required. He further said “We have organised the Fearless Midnight 3 kms run for the third
time in Chennai. I am delighted with the overwhelming response from women. Great
support was provided from the Chennai Police to provide security and to ensure
that the girls could run fearlessly. For too
long women everywhere have been asked to conform to society’s narrow views of
dos and don’ts, behaviour, dress and timing. Any woman seen out after a time is
immediately judged and stereotyped. Sometimes they are punished.
This
happens in every village, every town, and every city. Women have an equal right
to be whereever they want, at whatever time they choose to and however, they
may choose to dress. FEARLESS is an endeavour to get women to make a strong
statement about their right to reclaim spaces. FEARLESS is not a protest, it is
a statement of fact, a call to solidarity. Women run, walk and celebrate
themselves and reclaim the night in a strong statement of affirmation of who they are, and what they must do, to feel safe and
secure. FEARLESS is the platform we have created for them to exercise this
choice.
RUN FEARLESS and OWN THE ROAD! INSPIRE.
EMPOWER. CHANGE.
