Feminism Archives

Pride and Pedicures

Beauty parlours in small-town India were a refuge for women, where they walked in and shed everything, from their clothes to centuries of inhibition. But the advent of big, branded salons has encroached upon that safe space.

Nimisha Misra July 30, 2016

Bollywood

Sui Dhaaga Review: A Fine Portrait of the Emotional Labour of Small-Town Women

Sharat Katariya’s Sui Dhaaga falters in several places, but it shines when the spotlight is on its women. In a film about dignity of labour, Katariya’s mastery is most evident in parts where the focus is on the immense emotional and domestic labour every married small-town woman inevitably shoulders.

Poulomi Das July 30, 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

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?

Poulomi Das July 24, 2016

POV

Can We Please Stop Scrutinising Zaira Wasim’s Decision to Quit Bollywood?

Many Twitter intellectuals have condemned Zaira Wasim for citing her religious beliefs to exit Bollywood, while others have blamed her for making Muslims look regressive. But is ganging up against a teenager on social media progressive?

Kahini Iyer July 22, 2016

Pop Culture

Comment of the Week: The Vivek Agnihotri Edition

Welcome to Comment of the Week, where we psychoanalyse ourselves and try to understand what people are trying to tell us. Brought to you by Arré’s resident psychoanalyst and therapist, Sigmund Fried.

Arré Bench July 20, 2016

Gender

#Throwback 2018: What We Thought of the #MeToo Movement

The revelation that “the woke” didn’t shy away from being predators behind closed doors and mobile screens was the catalyst for India’s #MeToo movement. Here are extracts from some of our best essays on the subject.

Arré Bench July 16, 2016

Gender

The Gurgaon Woman’s Misogyny is a By-Product of Slut-Shaming in Schools

In a now viral video, a Gurgaon woman is seen slut-shaming a girl, saying she and her friends “deserved to be raped” because of the clothes she wore. It reminded me of the culture of aunty establishment that has always been prevalent in our schools, where girls were reprimanded for the length of their uniforms.

Jackie Thakkar July 14, 2016

Culture

Putting the Sab in Sabarimala: The Kerala Temple’s Lesson in Inclusion

The verdict in the Sabarimala hearing is a reminder that Indian religious institutions need to finally end their deep-seated prejudice toward women devotees. Which is why, the Sabarimala judgment isn’t a win – it’s only the start.

Arré Bench July 12, 2016

Pop Culture

Loving My Love Handles Like Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham empowered her actors to act through their bodies. In the six years that I’ve followed Girls, it has made me not cringe at my own nudity.

Amrita Paul July 7, 2016