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Noted feminist Kamla Bhasin gives us a rousing and concise view of what the #meToo movement means for so many of us. Listen!
I am a woman. And I can tell you that being a woman is not easy. In fact, any woman can tell you that. We plan excessively about our every move of ours. In fact, we have to plan our actions meticulously so that this patriarchal society does not strangulate us. We have 101 things to keep in mind, whether it is what clothes to wear, what time of the day to go out, or whether or not to use public transport. This is the gift of our patriarchal society.
The #meToo movement in India has cropped up as a platform for women to speak up about the atrocities they have faced at the hands of power-hungry men. The normalcy of sexual harassment had to break and finally, we can see some cracks in the societal structures.
Kamala Bhasin, the noted Indian feminist, poet, author and social scientist pens down her emotions about the me too movement in this poem:
Listening to Kamala Bhasin recite her poetry made me understand the importance of the movement. Her words show the kind of impact that the movement can have. It also made me realize the potential of the movement to bring about a change in society. For ages, women’s voices have been suppressed and finally, there is a movement where we can talk about our experiences.
In her poem, she talks about how women all this time were quiet about their experiences due to the prevalent taboo around the issue of sexual harassment. Now the hidden truth has come out and women are fighting for their rights.
She has compared the eruption of these voices to volcanic lava which is quite the symbolism for annihilation as it destroys everything that comes along its path. Me too is that movement which has the potential to help women find their lost voices. It is high time the people understand the meaning of personal space and importance of a woman’s ‘NO’.
It is due to the lack of understanding of these terms that men have done what they pleased without any repercussions. Men now need to be answerable for their actions – and #meToo is the movement we were all waiting for.
As Kamala Bhasin puts it, “Zurmi ko benakab kar bahar le ana hai Me too” (#meToo is about unmasking the culprits and revealing them for what they are).
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Rajshri Deshpande, who played the fiery protagonist in Trial by Fire along with Abhay Deol speaks of her journey and her social work.
Rajshri Deshpande as the protagonist in ‘Trial by Fire’, the recent Netflix show has received raving reviews along with the show itself for its sensitive portrayal of the Uphaar Cinema Hall fire tragedy, 1997 and its aftermath.
The limited series is based on the book by the same name written by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, who lost both their children in the tragedy. We got an opportunity to interview Rajshri Deshpande who played Neelam Krishnamoorthy, the woman who has been relentlessly crusading in the court for holding the owners responsible for the sheer negligence.
Rajshri Deshpande is more than an actor. She is also a social warrior, the rare celebrity from the film industry who has also gone back to her roots to give to poverty struck farming villages in her native Marathwada, with her NGO Nabhangan Foundation. Of course a chance to speak with her one on one was a must!
“What is a woman’s job, Ramesh? Taking care of parents-in-law, husband, children, home and things at work—all at the same time? She isn’t God or a superhuman."
The arrays of workstations were occupied by people peering into their computer screens. The clicks of keyboard keys were punctuated by the occasional footsteps moving around to brainstorm or collaborate with colleagues in their cubicles. Most employees went about their tasks without looking at the person seated on either side of their workstation. Meenakshi was one of them.
The thirty-one-year-old marketing manager in a leading eCommerce company in India sat straight in her seat, her eyes on the screen, her fingers punching furiously into the keys. She was in a flow and wanted to finish the report while the thoughts and words were coming effortlessly into her mind.
Natu-Natu. The mellifluous ringtone interrupted her thoughts. She frowned at her mobile phone with half a mind to keep it ringing until she noticed the caller’s name on the screen, making her pick up the phone immediately.
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