Tamil magazine Kumudam Reporter’s cover story on leggings stirs controversy on social media

A controversy erupted on social media recently when an alleged list of no-nos for girls in Sri Sai Ram Engineering College was circulated on the Internet. The college refuted the allegation calling the circular fake. The list included leggings.

Now, a popular Tamil magazine, Kumudam Reporter, has done a cover story on leggings. The cover shows the backs of three women with the headline reading, “Are leggings obscene? Young women cross the line.” In no time, social media tweeted its outrage regarding the magazine and this story.

The article in the magazine stated that some women wore leggings in a manner that was obscene (e.g. too tight or did not cover them well). As a result, the article adds that it makes some men gawk, ogle and stare.

The magazine used photos of women wearing long kurtas with their leggings on its cover and along with the article. All the photos seem to have been taken when their kurtas were lifted in the air thanks to the wind.

Some of the tweets:
Aparna Jain @aparna_jain

Every woman should wear leggings, pull up shirt,stick out butt & send photograph to Kumudam saying “Decency is a state of mind”
9:11 AM – 23 Sep 2015

Shiva Jayashankar @adyarite

Horribly sexist, regressive & completely inappropriate – photos shot without the women’s knowledge. #kumudam #shame
9:00 AM – 23 Sep 2015

Razim Mohammad @Rasamsadham

What a sexist, violating post created by Kumudham. Disgrace! @Kumudam_Com