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Social Media Star of The Week: Yajat Dhingra
This 19-year-old from Gurugram fought embarrassment and anxiety to go public with a disturbing personal incident, and became an inspiration
For a content creator who posts memes with exaggerated humour, beginning a video with a choked voice and the words “this ain’t going to be funny” must not have come easy. Yet, last week, Yajat Dhingra put out an Instagram post detailing an experience that often gets shoved under the carpet: that of a boy being inappropriately approached, then being shamed into silence.
“I was walking home post gym when a guy on a motorbike offered me a ride,” says Yajat. “I was tired and took up the offer, but just a few minutes later, I realised it was a mistake. The man tried to touch me even though I was sitting behind him, and though he couldn’t do much, I wanted out. But he refused to stop.”
Anyone listening to Yajat can feel the fear going through the teenager’s head. There are more complexities than he is able to say, including, ‘should I be saying this on a public platform at all?’
“I eventually decided to jump off the bike, and when I did, the guy stopped, laughed at me and said, ‘Gay nahi ho, kya?(Aren’t you gay?’)” Yajat says.
The response to his post was overwhelming. “I now know I shouldn’t be ashamed of what happened,” he says. “Not many people talk about what boys go through. I am horrified to see how many other men have dealt with molestation and assault. I decided to share my story so that others realise that it’s not their shame.”
For now, Yajat and his family are coping with the incident. “My parents did get scared, but I’m glad the incident happened. I shouldn’t have accepted the stranger’s offer of a ride, but the experience has changed my perspective for the better. The only downside is that I’m going to be 10 times more cautious before accepting help from anyone in the future, which is quite sad.”
The overwhelming support from social media has helped Yajat heal. “I’m currently a student in Canada and hope to be a realtor there someday, but I enjoy creating funny content,” says Yajat. His first Reel hit 10 million views. “I just want to do my family proud one day!”
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Who should be the next HT Brunch Social Media Star Of The Week? Nominate using the hashtag #BrunchSocialMediaStarOTW or email htbrunch@hindustantimes.com
From HT Brunch, November 29, 2020
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