I read the news these days and I can’t decide if the Indian voter is naive or simply stupid. How is it possible that someone like Mulayam Singh Yadav not only leads a strong political party but also gets elected into power multiple times? This is a man who has had two wives simultaneously, an inefficient and corrupt son Akhilesh …
Category: Rape
Insignificant Other: The Political Ball Called Women’s Empowerment
“The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.” ~Roseanne Barr The memories of the horrendous gang rape that took place on December 16, 2012 haven’t faded yet. More reports of rape, sexual harassment and domestic violence act as constant reminders of the socio-cultural mess India has become. The constant violation of rights …
Raising a Good Man
The instant you look into your new-born son’s eyes you know that every hope you have for his future depends upon what you do from that moment on. A boy’s mother always wonders whether he will grow up to be a caring, confident, responsible man who respects women; but to raise boys who respect women means teaching them a lot …
We’re Not Victims: Mental and Emotional Abuse Should not be Treated as Daily Business
The metro in Delhi might be a boon for India, but girls in the city sure have another story to tell you. Like pretty much any public place in the country (or elsewhere, for that matter), a metro journey on an ordinary day can easily prove to be a harrowing experience for any woman. A metro ride is incomplete without …
My Ass, Your Eyes
Hi! I am, well you saw my name above, didn’t you? Don’t feel guilty if you missed it. Girls aren’t that big of a deal in India or where I currently live, Delhi. After that gang rape incident last year, I have no reason to feel safe. It’s not that I felt safe before 16th December but that incident has definitely …
Why Rapes Won’t Stop!
By Tushar Jain 22nd December, 2012, saw one of the biggest protests in the history of modern India. On a cold winter morning, thousands of young boys and girls got together near the India Gate to march up to the Rashtrapati Bhawan via the Raisina Hill. As the morning progressed, they were joined by more people of different age groups. …
Slim, Fair & Beautiful: How Shallow are Our Definitions of the Ideal Indian Woman?
We’ve all laughed our guts out at those jokes in Indian films about the big, fat, swarthy woman. It seemed like the obvious thing to do then. These people were ‘meant’ to be funny. Watch any of the Indra Kumar/David Dhawan comedies for reference. If they slipped on banana peels or appeared abruptly when you were expecting the slim, beautiful …
Slim, Fair & Beautiful: How Shallow are Our Definitions of the Ideal Indian Woman?
We’ve all laughed our guts out at those jokes in Indian films about the big, fat, swarthy woman. It seemed like the obvious thing to do then. These people were ‘meant’ to be funny. Watch any of the Indra Kumar/David Dhawan comedies for reference. If they slipped on banana peels or appeared abruptly when you were expecting the slim, beautiful …
Why Sayfty?
I was born and raised in a small town in India, called Kanpur. My father, the loving man that he is, is also very protective by nature. Right from the beginning I was sent to an all girls convent school. The idea was to always protect me and provide me with a safe and disciplined environment. Growing up, my parents …
Responsibility and Rationality: The Need for Caution within Peer Groups
It’s sad that the world today has had to compel its females to turn themselves into this over cautious, on the edge species. Because irrespective of whether one is on the streets or at a party, there is always the need to look out for oneself. And that is perhaps ironically what many of us need to spell out a …