Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Dalit women are often victims of a double whammy – where caste and gender prejudice come together in vicious sexual violence.
Caste based violence is both rampant and under-reported in India. Yet, most media coverage on caste based violence tends to be spotty, focusing on individual cases of the worst kind, but rarely having any sustained coverage.
Most large media with newsrooms for instance, will have a regular columnist who writes in-depth analyses of gender-based issues, but rarely one who focuses on caste in the same way.
Currently, there are massive Dalit rallies underway in Gujarat, to demand an end to caste based oppression, which many of us know very little about. However, a quick search on any social media platform, using the hashtag #ChaloUna will put you in possession of the facts.
The more democratised social media space has allowed for handles such as @DalitWomenFight, @Dalitdiva and @DalitCamera to tell their own stories rather than having to wait for others to offer them space.
Very briefly: Four Dalit young men were beaten up publicly at Una in Gujarat recently by ‘gau rakshaks’. Since then Dalit communities across Gujarat have come together, taken pledges to not skin dead cattle (leaving it to those who call the cow their mother), and are demanding land instead, to enable them to live with dignity. They are also demanding a government serious about ending caste based violence.
Women have been a significant part of these protests at many locations, and are not only participating, but also leading their communities.
If we are serious about justice and dignity for all women (and men), and not just for upper-caste/class women, we should all be cheering on #ChaloUna.
I’ll leave you here with a few inspiring images of women’s leadership and participation at these rallies, as also an older video about a documentary that highlights how women have taken the lead.
inspiring #ChaloUna fight and amazing Dalit women marching against caste. from @dalitwomenfight and Manisha Mashaal pic.twitter.com/CzCVK6p1cF — Dhrubo Jyoti (@dhrubo127) August 11, 2016
inspiring #ChaloUna fight and amazing Dalit women marching against caste. from @dalitwomenfight and Manisha Mashaal pic.twitter.com/CzCVK6p1cF
— Dhrubo Jyoti (@dhrubo127) August 11, 2016
#ChaloUna #AzadiKooch 3rdDay Dalit March 7Aug2016 #DalitSangharsh @DasBolshevik @ndtv @scroll_in @scribe_it @nytimes pic.twitter.com/t6BgZzRJp7 — Ajnabi (@ajnabi_guy) August 7, 2016
#ChaloUna #AzadiKooch 3rdDay Dalit March 7Aug2016 #DalitSangharsh @DasBolshevik @ndtv @scroll_in @scribe_it @nytimes pic.twitter.com/t6BgZzRJp7
— Ajnabi (@ajnabi_guy) August 7, 2016
#ChaloUna #AzadiKooch 2ndDay 6Aug2016 #DalitSangharsh @dalityuvadal @DalitRising @dsmmanch @DasBolshevik @scribe_it pic.twitter.com/VxIw9IOH30 — Ajnabi (@ajnabi_guy) August 6, 2016
#ChaloUna #AzadiKooch 2ndDay 6Aug2016 #DalitSangharsh @dalityuvadal @DalitRising @dsmmanch @DasBolshevik @scribe_it pic.twitter.com/VxIw9IOH30
— Ajnabi (@ajnabi_guy) August 6, 2016
Get ready! #chalouna pic.twitter.com/2tY32fzHKY — Dalit Camera (@DalitCamera) August 11, 2016
Get ready! #chalouna pic.twitter.com/2tY32fzHKY
— Dalit Camera (@DalitCamera) August 11, 2016
The top image is from the #DalitWomenFight exhibit that toured the U.S courtesy their Facebook page
Founder & Chief Editor of Women's Web, Aparna believes in the power of ideas and conversations to create change. She has been writing since she was ten. In another life, she used to be read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address