Gender Archives

“Marry the Rapist”: Why India Desperately Needs More Women in the Judiciary

During a recent hearing, CJI SA Bobde asked a rape accused if he would marry his victim. In the past, we have seen judges accused of sexual harassment presiding over their own cases. One of the many reasons women’s issues are not handled with sensitivity is because our courts are largely run by men.

Manik Sharma July 30, 2016

Gender

Rockin’ Them Designer Vaginas

Rhinoplasty and cheek implants are passé. The latest fad among Indian woman is hymen reconstruction, colloquially called revirginisation, where wives want to gift their husbands a new hymen.

Parthshri Arora July 29, 2016

Gender

Meet Seema Kushwaha, the Lawyer Who Fought Alongside Nirbhaya’s Mother for 7 Years

Seema Kushwaha, a young lawyer from UP, was still studying when decided to take up the Delhi gang-rape case in 2013. But even before that, she had joined the fight for justice – attending candle-light vigils and protests.

Arré Bench July 28, 2016

Gender

Can the Bombay High Court’s Ruling on What Constitutes Sexual Assault Make Committing Crimes Easier for Predators?

Assault and harassment in the form of groping and eve-teasing take place with an alarming frequency in the country. Limiting what constitutes assault to “skin-to-skin contact” like Bombay HC means women are more likely to not report incidents and thus, society as a whole will be neglectful of these atrocities.

Sahej Marwah July 28, 2016

Gender

Why Women Need to Stop Being Polite to Predators and Creeps

Growing up, we women have been repeatedly led to believe that our own sense of being lies at the lowest rung of the ladder; that we must respect and bow before everybody but ourselves. So what if a stranger elbowed my breast? I am not going to disrupt an entire auto line over it, right?

Meghalee Mitra July 28, 2016

Gender

Is Going Blonde The Secret to My Success?

The perfect hair colour is like a unicorn, just as mythical. Usually you fall between “Are you fucking mad?” or “I can’t see a thing”. But the secret to a woman's success is going blonde. At least that's what Google tells me.

Richa Sahu July 27, 2016

Gender

#BringOnTheGirls: The Concealed Sexism of India’s Music Scene

Given the gender diversity seen in music festival audiences, the lack of it onstage often goes unnoticed. Male-dominated concerts are so normalised that the lack of women artists is rarely paid any attention.

Abhilasha Sinha July 26, 2016

Gender

Safety over Privacy? Lucknow Police Plan to “Track” Women in Distress with AI Cameras

When the system itself has consistently displayed insensitivity towards dealing with crimes related to women, the potential for technology of this kind to be misused for the purpose of harassment or quid-pro-quo is scary.

Arré Bench July 25, 2016

Gender

A Good Reason to “Mind the Gap”

Addressing the issue of the wage gap between men and women isn’t as simple as redistributing candy. Sometimes, change can begin with a conversation, and this week an Arré Siren panel featuring actress Aahana Kumra and photographer Karen Dias, kickstarted the discussion.

Arré Bench July 25, 2016

Gender

It’s Exhausting to Be an Ambitious Woman. There I Said It

Between pleasing ourselves and the people around us, we women lose sense of our ambitions. I crushed my competitive side to come across as less aggressive and more agreeable. I smiled more when asked to. I conform, but then I keep asking myself, “Did I settle?” “Don’t I deserve more?”

Sonia Mariam July 25, 2016