As more and more women choose to explore the world and live their lives on their own terms, a major concern for them is safety. Today an increasing number of women are living by themselves. They may be students or working women or there may be many other reasons for the same.In the more technologically advanced world of today, there …
Category: Blog
Mocking their Own Sensibilities: What Were Popular Female Actors Doing to Themselves Last Year?
In an outlandish scene in a treacherously banal film called Happy New Year released last year, lead actress Deepika Padukone listens naively awestruck as her co-star, popular Hindi film actor Shah Rukh Khan, taking advantage of her limited knowledge of the English language, makes vulgar comments any woman would be outraged at. Padukone who interestingly made headlines last year for …
Where the Mind is Without Fear
In 2012, I was visiting my family in Kolkata when I heard about the brutal gang rape of a young woman in Delhi. The fear and disgust is still fresh on my mind. It has been two years since that day but news related to sexual violence against women are unabated. Take for example, the recent case of a 25-year-old girl …
Does Woman Mean “Woe-Men” in India?
The janitor in her school raped a good friend of mine when she was less than 8-years-old. She was in the girls’ toilet, all by herself, when this heinous crime occurred. When she came home and told her parents about the violence, most of which she couldn’t comprehend, her doctor father conducted a finger test to ensure whether or not …
Women in Pakistan – Breaking Barriers and Creating Their Own Destinies
Women in Pakistan are now coming out of their houses to study and work. Their perceptions toward education and literacy have changed remarkably over the last decade. You all have probably heard about Mala Yousufzai bringing home the Nobel Peace prize for Pakistan. This coveted award has not only added fuel to the present drive coming about amongst teenagers and …
Mary Kom’s Story Shows How Men Too Can Champion the Cause of Feminism
The inspirational story of Mary Kom, India’s champion boxer, is now on the silver screen with Priyanka Chopra playing the role of real-life Mary Kom. Such films can be one way of popularizing sports other than cricket in the country since audiences would always be curious to watch the life-struggles of these personalities and seek inspiration from them. The widespread …
Mary Kom's Story Shows How Men Too Can Champion the Cause of Feminism
The inspirational story of Mary Kom, India’s champion boxer, is now on the silver screen with Priyanka Chopra playing the role of real-life Mary Kom. Such films can be one way of popularizing sports other than cricket in the country since audiences would always be curious to watch the life-struggles of these personalities and seek inspiration from them. The widespread …
Undermining Women and their Sensibilities – Adultery in Hindi Cinema
In an industry progressively endorsing its belief in the equality of the two sexes, it is interesting to see Hindi cinema’s age old and often naïve and stereotypical take on adultery. Primarily, it often seems that we refuse to accept that it is not just the men who may find the grass greener on the other side. Women may also …
Dark Skin Is Dirty
Ever since I was a little girl, I remember the cosmetic industry in India would prey on the insecurities of women—manifested by the society obsession with pale skin—and promote the use of skin-whitening cream. Ayurvedic Vicco Turmeric cream, made with turmeric and sandalwood, was considered the smell of marital bliss for “good” women. Fair & Lovely, another skin lightening cream, promised visibly …
Motherhood – A Norm Enforced by Patriarchy?
It is somehow inconceivable that there could be other things that matter more to her. We don’t focus on the fact that she could have simply chosen to lead her life another way. She just didn’t feel the need to go down that road. It doesn’t mean she is less caring, considerate or even ‘feminine’ as an individual. I recently …