I have been trying to write about this issue for a long time, despite knowing the kind of backlash it would invite. But remaining silent is far more dangerous than facing backlash.Social media in Kashmir has become increasingly toxic for women. The trolling on these platforms is deeply gendered. Her visibility has become offensive. The experiences of many women reveal that expressing an opinion, posting a picture, speaking confidently, or refusing to remain invisible often leaves them facing abuse, harassment, moral policing, and attacks on their character. What is most disturbing is that morality in our society is disproportionately associated with women. A woman’s clothes, speech, visibility, and online presence have become a matter of public debate, while men are rarely subjected to the same moral scrutiny. Women are expected to carry the burden of community honour at all times. They are told how to dress, behave, speak, and even how visible they are allowed to be online. Kashmir has always been a society where religion has been central to our daily lives. Whenever any wrongdoing occurs, we have always viewed it through the lens of Islam. While Islam is indeed a way of life, it becomes problematic when it is invoked selectively to police women, restrict their agency, and justify control over their lives. In this context, some Muslim men selectively interpret certain Quranic verses in ways that reinforce patriarchal authority and maintain hegemony over both religious discourse and women.

Islam does not teach that morality belongs only to women. The Quran repeatedly emphasises that every individual will be judged according to their actions. Accountability before Allah is not gendered in the way society has made it. But there have been worldwide cases where morality has been primarily used as a tool to discipline women. At the same time, men have owned........

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