Gender, Perception and Punishment in Anupma Chandrasekhar’s Free Outgoing

In India, a young girl's sexuality is a matter of public concern due to the fact that globalisation and technological advancements have altered female identities and roles and prepared the way for new perceptions of female identity, particularly in terms of their sexual assertiveness. Free Outgoing calls draw attention to and reveal a multitude of ideological conflicts around gender and sexuality that have been redefined by the internet and smart phones. Based on an actual classroom MMS event involving a young girl, "The MMS Scandal," as it was termed, opened Pandora's box in terms of the young girl's life, sexuality, upbringing, and morality, which became debatable within her family, political organisations, and more so in the media. It only took one click for the entire nation to despise her and be prepared to punish her.