Ayushi Murli, Author at Arré

Touch Me Not: How to Date When You Hate Physical Affection

For someone who hates being touched, dating feels a lot like being an out-of-place cactus in an overcrowded local: There’s absolutely no way you or your companion can get comfortable. The hardest part is explaining to people that it’s neither a condition nor a disease.

Ayushi Murli July 25, 2016

POV

Small Joys of Spontaneity: The Case for Being an Impulsive Person

I’m an impulsive person who sees no point in wasting hours overthinking something, so naturally, I’m told that I should seek a “cure”. But what exactly is “dangerous” about my personality and why is everyone so hell-bent on treating it?

Ayushi Murli July 24, 2016

Gender

How Do We Sustain the #MeToo Movement?

Even as we debate how to keep the #MeToo momentum going, the best way forward probably rests on our ability to be relentless with our rage, our demands, and our solidarity. Our refusal to let go of our long overdue rage could possibly lead to a culture where angry women aren’t dismissed as hysterical.

Ayushi Murli July 24, 2016

Gender

Open Letter to the Man Who Sexually Abused Me. And Never Got Reported

Think long and hard about the way you – all of you, men – have abused, harassed, molested, and hounded women. The floodgates have opened. India’s #MeToo moment has arrived. There’s no going back from here.

Ayushi Murli April 27, 2016

Gender

#MeToo: Why Women Refuse to Believe Other Women

India’s #MeToo moment has been built entirely on the back and labour of its women. But the most dispiriting part has been the lack of support from some outliers – women who refuse to believe the testimonies of survivors.

Ayushi Murli April 27, 2016

Health

What It’s Like to Live With Permanent Anxiety

I’ve tried medication, sought therapy, read books on how to survive anxiety. Nothing helps. So I’ve learnt to coexist with it. For my permanent companion, this friendship is not getting cancelled anytime soon.

Ayushi Murli April 14, 2016

Modern Family

Sisters are Protectors Too: Why Raksha Bandhan Needs to be Reimagined

As an elder sister, I am constantly bailing my brother out of sticky situations. Which makes me wonder, if I am his protector, shouldn’t he be tying a rakhi on my wrist, instead of the other way around? All traditions need an update and Raksha Bandhan is no different.

Ayushi Murli March 13, 2016

First Person

I Got 99 Problems… Being a Baby-Faced Adult is One

As a five-foot-nothing adult with a face that makes me look 14, I’ve been called everything from “chota recharge” to “aw baby”. Even though I work in a legitimate office, my baby face ensures that total strangers inquire about which school I go to.

Ayushi Murli March 5, 2016