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Sudeepta Mohapatra Sarangi believes in speaking up for what she believes in. Her feminist husband chose her, she says, because she had made clear that unlike the norm, she wouldn't tolerate her parents being treated any lesser than her husband’s parents.
Sudeepta Mohapatra Sarangi believes in speaking up for what she believes in. Her feminist husband chose her, she says, because she had made clear that unlike the norm, she wouldn’t tolerate her parents being treated any lesser than her husband’s parents.
The Women’s Web team every month identifies three contributors whose work has really resonated with readers, who have brought something new and impactful to our community. This November 2018, Sudeepta Mohapatra Sarangi is one of our featured Authors of the Month.
Sudeepta thinks that for the issues she feels strongly about, and want to do something but finds herself helpless, writing becomes empowerment. You can read Sudeepta Mohapatra Sarangi’s articles here at Women’s Web.
Authors are often asked this question, but everyone has their own reasons, very personal to them. So, why do you write?
Writing for me is liberation. The best way to express myself; many-a-times, to vent out my frustration. For issues, I strongly feel about and want to do something, but find myself helpless, writing becomes empowerment.
What do you enjoy reading? Does any of it help your writing?
I read both fiction and non-fiction. Biographies are my favourites. I regularly follow politics and read about social issues. Reading fiction develops my imagination and definitely helps me in exploring more and writing better. A few authors who have influenced me are Ruskin Bond, R. K. Narayan, Paulo Coelho, Maya Angelou & Jhumpa Lahiri.
When it comes to writing on/for/about women, what questions and issues drive you the most?
Gender inequality and patriarchy! All problems of women stem from these two issues, in one way or the other. I believe that the social construct of gender inequality, in fact has its roots in patriarchy, especially in the Indian societies.
Could you narrate an issue or incident in your life which you think was gender related, and you handled it in a way that has made you proud.
We are only two sisters in my family, with no brother. I have grown up watching many of our relatives and neighbours making my parents (especially, my mother) feel deprived because they don’t have a son. This was actually the seed from which the feminism within me has developed over time. So much that while talking to the prospective grooms for my ‘arranged marriage’, I would spell out to them, right from the beginning of the conversation, that unlike the norm, in no manner, whatsoever, will I tolerate my parents being treated any lesser than the groom’s parents. Coming from a semi-conservative middle-class family, even my parents disliked this barefaced attitude. However, the same approach became the reason why my feminist husband chose to marry me!
What are the things you would like to write about in the future for Women’s Web?
I would love to write on any and every issue that affects the status of women in our society, be it from within the home and family or the world outside.
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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.
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