Feminist Archives

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

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

My Grandmother Didn’t Lead a “Woke” Life. But She Died a Feminist

My grandmother married at 14 and gave birth to her first son at 20. She didn’t live long enough to acquaint herself with the world of “feminism” but she ensured that she raised her granddaughter as a feminist.

Tamira Obrahm July 6, 2016

Gender

Despite Bollywood Influences, I am Raising Two Feminist Sons. Here’s How To Do It

My sons and I love watching Bollywood movies together, but finding a film devoid of misogyny, objectification of women, and innuendo is a task. How do I explain to my kids what is wrong with “6 din, Ladki in” when SRK is mouthing it as if it’s the most chivalrous way to woo a girl in Kal Ho Naa Ho?

Aarti Pathak July 1, 2016

Love and Sex

Why I Choose Not to Get Off On Porn

In a world where female sexuality isn’t supposed to exist, watching porn is still seen as sexual liberation. But an acknowledgement of the same desires are invalidated by the medium’s treatment of women, both on screen and behind-the-scenes. How can we celebrate our sexuality through porn while condoning a sexist, exploitative industry that functions on men’s terms?

Kahini Iyer June 29, 2016

Gender

Why Do India’s Successful Women Shy Away from the Feminist Tag?

From Smriti Irani to Kareena Kapoor, there’s no greater irony than successful women in the public eye shying away from the word “feminism” as if it were something toxic. To say you believe in equality but aren’t a feminist is like ordering Jain chicken – it may make sense to you, but it defies logic.

Mudra June 26, 2016

POV

Is Botox to a 40-year-old, What a Bikini Wax Is to a 25-year-old?

I do not hold a high-profile, high-maintenance job. And I am certainly not a star who needs to look radiant every single day. I’m an average, middle-class woman in her 40s. Am I still eligible for that botox shot?

Chandrima Pal June 25, 2016

POV

Is Marriage Where Feminist Dreams Go To Die?

Kareena Kapoor in her progressive Veere Di Wedding avatar is enjoyable if you can forget the fact that a few weeks ago, the actress did a U-turn on her character’s seemingly feminist stance. What happens to feminists after marriage?

Kahini Iyer June 25, 2016

Pop Culture

Why Netflix’s Bridgerton is Not an Easily Dismissed Soap Opera

There’s lot more to Netflix’s Bridgerton than steamy sex scenes. While everyone’s going gaga over the delicious Duke of Hastings, it’s the women who are the real heroes of the show. You need to look beyond their flouncy skirts.

Shubha Menon June 3, 2016

POV

How I Have Shamefully Benefitted from Patriarchy

Patriarchy benefits me in the tiny ways that it can benefit only upper-class, upper-caste Hindu women in India. I hate that most workplaces won’t treat me as equal, but I have to admit that it’s a relief to have the freedom to fail professionally, or even choose to have a career at all.

Sonali Kokra June 2, 2016