Skip To Content

    These Two Pictures Perfectly Sum Up The Double Standards Of "Modesty" In Pakistan

    "On one side, a human being in nothing but a skimpy underwear is celebrated and congratulated. On the other, another human being is being called a slut, being abused and shamed."

    This is Anzhelika Rublevskaya Tahir, Toronto-based Ukrainian-Pakistani beauty pageant queen who is currently Miss Pakistan World.

    This is Atif Anwar, Pakistani bodybuilder and winner of Arnold Classic over 100 class, in Melbourne in 2015.

    Both Tahir and Anwar received their titles in 2015, but much of the reaction of the Pakistani public to their wins has been split on a gender-discriminatory level.

    Here are some of the comments on their individual photos, side by side.

    Most of the comments on the beauty queen's photo revolve around calling her a "whore," a "bitch," and "a disgrace to Pakistan", while all comments on the bodybuilder's image are congratulatory, and proud of him being a Pakistani.

    Recently, Karachi-based software engineer Basit Saeed, pointed out a stark comparison between the two people in a Facebook post.

    Facebook: basit.saeed

    Comments on Saeed's post have been mostly been positive, however, some condemned the model's line of work and choice of clothing.

    "I pity the men who believe they have to rule over women. I pity their fragile man egos. I pity they'd never know what it's like to have an equal partner," Saeed told BuzzFeed.