Posted inGender
What Do We Do About the Sexual Harassers’ List?
There's plenty right with Raya Sarkar's sexual harassers' list, and plenty wrong. But what if we think of it as an instrument to strengthen our processes?
Posted inGender
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.
Posted inGender
Ladies, Stop Telling Yourself You Like Lace Lingerie
Why do we women squeeze ourselves into undergarments that behave like torture devices accessorised with elastic, bows, and ribbons that are meant to irritate the skin at inopportune moments? I’ve realised you aren’t truly emancipated until the day you find yourself committed to the cause of comfortable drawers.
Posted inGender
Why Designer Saisha Shinde Coming Out as a Trans Woman Needs to Be Celebrated
Fashion designer Saisha Shinde made a big announcement today, coming out as a transwoman. To come out as LGBTQ+, particularly in India, is an act of courage — one that is compounded by coming out as trans. Shinde’s decision offers visibility to the transgender community in India.
Posted inGender
The Trolls Are Toxic: Why We Need to Take Online Harassment of Women More Seriously
Online harassment of women has infiltrated to real life. Take the example of journalist Neha Dixit who has been physically stalked and has received rape and death threats. Clearly, moderation policies by social media platforms and cyber cells are not enough.
Posted inGender
While India Let Down Its Women in 2020, Our Courts Protected Their Rights
In a year where sexual violence and misogynistic portrayals of women dominated news cycles, Indian courts have quietly been passing rulings that recognise and protect the rights of the nation’s women.
Posted inGender
Anushka Sharma’s Trolls Prove That India Can’t Handle Real “Power Couples”
Anushka Sharma is facing yet another social media backlash – this time for being photographed with the Indian cricket team. Anushka can’t seem to catch a break. When Virat Kohli is not in his finest form, we believe blaming Anushka for existing is par for the course.
Posted inGender
“Period Room” in Public Toilets: Maharashtra Leads the Way in Gender-Sensitive Public Facilities
The Period Room, a public toilet in Thane, Maharashtra, targets people who need it the most: slum dwellers. Having a unit of public space dedicated to menstruation is empowering for women whose needs and struggles are otherwise relegated to low-priority, ignored, or rendered invisible.
Posted inGender
India’s Convenient Feminism, Where Deepika is a Drug Addict and Kangana is Brave
The response to Payal Ghosh accusing Anurag Kashyap of sexual assault, has been very different from the time fans leapt to defend accused stars like Nana Patekar and Alok Nath, and defamed the women who gave accounts. Meanwhile, Kangana Ranaut compared the breaking down of her offices to being raped and insisted she was being targeted as a woman, while referring to female colleagues as soft porn stars and fake feminists. Bollywood’s feminism is dependent on convenience.
Posted inGender
“It’s Not Me, It’s You”: How to Identify Gaslighters and Fight the Manipulation
There was a time I’d walk away from an altercation feeling confused, foolish, and chastised. On occasion, I’ve even been grateful that the man in question was being such a good sport about the embarrassing “misunderstanding”. Not anymore. I refuse to be gaslighted.