Those taking a stroll through certain streets in Mumbai, India, may notice a change in the city's pedestrian signals.
The bustling capital of the state of Maharashtra has transformed some of its traffic light designs so that they show female stick figures, complete with a triangular dress shape, instead of the usual male figure.
The project is part of a broader initiative known as Culture Spine, headed by Aaditya Thackeray, cabinet minister for tourism and the environment in Maharashtra. He says it is a move to "ensure gender equality" in the country, but many say that it's just lip service.
Thackeray announced the change in a tweet that has since gone viral, with more than 3,100 retweets.
"If you've passed by Dadar, you'd see something that will make you proud. @mybmcWardGN is ensuring gender equality with a simple idea – the signals now have women, too," the tweet read.
Thackeray went on to thank the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) assistant commissioner Kiran Dighavkar and others responsible for implementing the initiative in a subsequent tweet.
If you’ve passed by Dadar, you’d see something that will make you feel proud. @mybmcWardGN is ensuring gender equality with a simple idea- the signals now have women too! pic.twitter.com/8X0vJR8hvQ
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 1, 2020
The city has reportedly installed 240 of the lights along a road in the Dadar neighbourhood of Mumbai.
The move has been hailed by supporters who believe it is a small but important step towards gender equality, making public spaces more inclusive of women.
Mumbai get's its Sofie!
— Dipika Lele (@leledipika) August 1, 2020
Dadar will now have female representation on traffic signals and signages.
This is one small yet decisive step forward to ending the subconscious exclusion of the female narrative from how our cities are designed. @DighavkarKiran is ever the inspirer! pic.twitter.com/Wo8y5SnjCT
Many thanks for accepting my ideas and suggestions to implement this in your ward @DighavkarKiran and @AUThackeray for your support, the women gender has gained some more presence and acceptance as the new normal. #theurbanproject https://t.co/UU6nE8H5I5
— Vijayshree Pednekar (@VijayshreePedn1) August 1, 2020
Well done @VijayshreePedn1 This a step in the right direction. It's difficult for most citizens to comprehend the years of challenges faced by urban planners before a small initiative gets implemented. Hope to see more such & bigger more ambitious projects from you in the future
— Angry Urbanist (@kirtaneg) August 8, 2020
Meanwhile, others feel like it is a token gesture that, in practice, does little to help women in the country.
I don't understand how gender equality is achieved by having a women in signal :) Is this some kind of joke?
— Deep Vora (@deep9007) August 1, 2020
It's the society which must change it's thinking and then only we will achieve gender equality and for that we need far more efforts then installing a signal.
Lots more can be done.. https://t.co/Ca6AKCrvWf
— Aditya (@Adits3012) August 2, 2020
Such symbols are just lip service. If everyone really values gender equality and diversity then it needs to show in real life of equal pay and no discrimination in organizations. Sensitizing the larger citizens on gender equality and diversity.
— Shruti Verma (@shruti_verma) August 2, 2020
Thackeray has since responded to the criticism saying that "each step matters".
Delighted to see the efforts of @mybmcWardGN for “the correct signal” being recognised by @UN_Women. Some may say this is only “signalling”, but equality cannot be measured, it has to begin in the way we think. Each such step, matters! https://t.co/67s6tNfrvD
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 7, 2020
While the initiative is a first of its kind in India, it has been done in other countries, including Australia and Germany.
In Melbourne, Australia, 10 female pedestrian figures were installed on traffic lights as part of a year-long trial in 2017. They had the same mixed reception, with one member of government calling the change a "practical and meaningful" move.
Think-tank member Evan Mulholland panned the scheme, however, describing it as "politically correct gesturing by policy makers that want to feel good about themselves".
Also in 2017, the "green man" was replaced by a silhouette of Kate Sheppard in streets in Wellington to celebrate the fact New Zealand was the first country to grant women the right to vote in 1893.
You don't get a green man telling you when to cross the road in Wellington. You get suffragette Kate Sheppard. Respect. pic.twitter.com/cFAvYKuF59
— Phil Baty (@Phil_Baty) July 1, 2017
