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Flipkart recently sent emails to its users, promoting how beauty will take them further in their workplaces. This very act shows how a woman is judged by standards of beauty.
Flipkart recently sent out an email to its users titled ‘Did you know beauty breeds success’. The note to its user cited research showing that beautiful women are more successful because they are noticed and respected more. Some users responded with criticism and Flipkart backtracked, saying they do not endorse the content of this email. While Flipkart’s PR figures out how they want to play this one, let’s take a few minutes to examine this.
Photo credit: Richa Kaul Padte | @hirishitalkies
The email is cringe-worthy on multiple levels. Research DOES show that beauty or being attractive in general leads to better life outcomes for people, including at the workplace. This does not mean that it is right, fair or acceptable. It definitely does not make it okay to use as a marketing strategy. Remember many folks thought it was perfectly fine for women to burn at their husband’s pyre. Never made it right, never will.
In fact, notions of attractiveness also evolve and vary across the world – although they are used more to judge women’s worth.
Like a lot of other life factors (where you are born, care and food you receive, gender, education), attractiveness is not a quality that we have much control over. In fact, notions of attractiveness also evolve and vary across the world – although they are used more to judge women’s worth. You may argue that it is possible to change one’s level of attractiveness by dressing well, using makeup and cosmetic surgery. I am not denying that and saying that you should look any different than you like. What I am saying is that how you look and dress is something you should have a choice in, not something you have to do simply to be taken seriously at work.
I am not surprised by this email. It only reflects the times we live in – the notion of beauty as a defining ideal for a woman has not changed, only the outcomes have increased – not only will your beauty lead you to marriage, it will also make you more successful at work. But for an organization such as Flipkart (and they are by no means the only ones) to send out such messages is harmful. They are playing right into the hands of gender stereotypes that already abound at in society and at the workplace and punish men and women.
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I think of myself as a feminist development practitioner with a strong interest in issues related to gender and education. I enjoy writing about my interests, a happy step forward from the angst laden poetry read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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