It was just an every other day for actress Rakul Preet Singh on the internet, where trolls did what they do best – say mean things to popular people on the internet. This time, an internet troll decided to moral police the actress, even going to the extent of slut shaming her because she wore shorts. Pretty mean right? Rakul, however, was not having any of it.

She took to internet to call him out on his extremely disrespectful comment. His comment was a caption to her picture of coming out of her car in shorts: “When she forgot to wear her pant after the session in car.”

For the people who have so much hatred !! This is the tweet( or thread ) I replied to. This guy pulled off his tweet immediately. Now tell me if any of you would react calmly ! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/7FUkKzCsfl

— Rakul Preet (@Rakulpreet) January 18, 2019

She had yesterday taken to Twitter and shared that only people with sick minds would support the troll’s opinion, where there’s no ounce of respecting women in their vocabulary.

“Well for people questioning my ethics why don’t you speak up when women are objectified and I’ve chosen my words only to make such #sickminds realise that they have a family too and how would they feel if the same is done to them ! I am sure his mother would give him a slap too,” she wrote.

Well for people questioning my ethics why don’t you speak up when women are objectified and I’ve chosen my words only to make such #sickminds realise that they have a family too and how would they feel if the same is done to them ! I am sure his mother would give him a slap too🙏

— Rakul Preet (@Rakulpreet) January 17, 2019

She had earlier sent the troll a response to his tweet. She, however, alluded that his mother would do the same. Perhaps not a good response but she still gave it back to the faceless internet troll.

“I think your mother does a lot of sessions in the car so you are an expert !! Ask her to give u some sense also besides these session details .. till the time people like this exist women can’t be safe .. just debating about equality and safety won’t help.. #sickmind” she wrote. The user, however, deleted his account.

For long actresses have been told to be their demure selves, always questioning their conduct and expecting them to be definitions of ‘sati savitri’. And once they get married, it’s taken for granted that anything “un-sanskari” they do will come under scrutiny where the amount of trolling and shaming they endure is unprecedented.

Women getting policed is nothing new. But women unapologetically giving it back to the so-called moral police, now that’s what needs to be lauded. In the past, several actresses have gotten trolled for the clothes the wear, for the roles they pick, or for the dialogues they say. Remember when Jyothika was trolled for abusing in Naachiyaar? Or when Priyanka Chopra was trolled for wearing a short dress when meeting PM Modi?

Social media has been a breeding ground of hatred comments perpetrated by anonymous accounts lately, and when we look at things closer home, there’s much to be ashamed of. But, if 2018 was anything to go by, women are done keeping quiet and are breaking shackles to speak out against any kind of abuse. Trolls always think that a woman should cover up, but the same trolls will go on a roll sending women unsolicited images of their private parts or asking them to “show bobs and vagens” [a play on show boobs and vaginas].

While there have been several times that actresses have responded to trolls with fitting messages, it’s high time people learn that women can wear whatever they want as long as it’s with their consent. It’s basic human rights and each time a woman is shamed, we take 10 steps back on the road to humanity.