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Assuming that beautiful women cannot able be intelligent and capable, or vice versa is another way in which patriarchy attempts to lock women into stereotypes.
The news broke recently that former actor Mayoori Kango, is now a top executive at Google. This is news that should be celebrated.
However, there were the usual comments about how she must have “slept her way” to the top, as it always happens with successful women. This is open misogyny. There were also some comments though, which looked like compliments, but which made me think – isn’t this sexism too?
I’m talking about the comments that went, “she is a real beauty with brains,” or variations of that. I could not help wonder why. Many male actors have gone on to be businessmen too, but no one has ever commented on how they are both handsome and capable. Somehow, because they are men, it is assumed that they can be both.
For women however, there has always been a stereotype that if they are beautiful, then they must be “bimbos” or “airheads.” And if a woman is intelligent, she must be an “ugly duckling.” As this article points out, “While attractive men may be considered better leaders, for instance, implicit sexist prejudices can work against attractive women, making them less likely to be hired for high-level jobs that require authority.”
As she herself points out in the article linked to at the beginning of this piece, “I have to prove myself in every new meeting as people have a notion that actors are not intelligent. I have worked hard to make people take me seriously.”
That is why her rise is truly commendable. She not only chose to make a drastic career shift –something that many people, especially women, hesitate to do, but also excelled at her chosen field. This is truly inspiring!
She also goes on to make another very pertinent point, “People should complete their education before they come looking for that big break in Bollywood. Especially the actress, their career in the industry lasts only around ten years. Have a backup option.”
This advice – that women should complete their education, goes not only for those seeking a career in Bollywood, but to every woman. Often women are married off before they can finish their studies; or sometimes even if they continue their studies after marriage, they become pregnant and their education comes to a standstill.
Nothing empowers a woman more financial independence, which comes from having a job. And the better the education, the better the job.
Calling women “a beauty with brains,” is not really a compliment, because it limits them and forces them into stereotypes. Rather, let every woman have the freedom to define herself; to gain an education; and to explore her own talents.
Image is a still from the movie Papa Kehte Hai
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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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