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I want to have a say in the India that I live in. We should 'do politics'... Yes, women should participate in politics now, as they have no option if they want proper representation.
I want to have a say in the India that I live in. We should ‘do politics’… Yes, women should participate in politics now, as they have no option if they want proper representation.
Deepika went to JNU. Yes, some will believe she went to draw eyeballs and promote her movie. Others like me, will believe that she is part of the brave new world, and like many young people today, she dares to lay claim to what she wants her India to be.
BJP politician Gopal Bhargava chose to make his mark in this brave new world by waving the age old flag of toxic patriarchy, stating “Heroine should dance in Mumbai. Why should she go to JNU? I do not know. There are many people like her. If they want to do politics then you should enter politics and contest elections.”
Here’s the thing. More of us women should want ‘to do politics’. That is the only way towards better representation for women. Yes, I know, the menfolk will manage to sneak in a few Trojan horses, that is, rubber stamps who will be their mouthpiece, but we may still get to have our say.
While most political parties seek minority votes, no one actively pursues women’s votes because it’s not considered worthwhile. Tokenism, appealing to supposed female sensibilities in the ‘pyaz ke daam kam kara denge’ (we will decrease the price of onions) rhetoric pops up here and there, but that’s it.
Define for me, what exactly is a women’s issue, as opposed to men’s issues? Inflation? Child care? Health? Education? Women’s Safety? Are all these Women’s issues? Seems like it, because the chest thumping Neanderthals are all out there, quite sure of who their ‘baap’ is, trying to teach certain segments of society a lesson.
Guess again, what are the issues that bother women like me?
As women, do we have adequate representation in Parliament? No. Not just in numbers, but because the kind of women that will be given a party ticket are those that have to toe the party line. In fact, it is my considered opinion that women in politics are only tolerated if they stay within the Lakshman Rekha.
Yes, more women should do politics. Why don’t we? Let me list the reasons:
First of all it’s the dirtiest of all professions, populated to a large extent by goondas. Case in point, Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Yes, this may be true at the bottom of the echelon, but that’s where everyone (read every woman) will have to begin.
Secondly, it’s the biggest and the most fanatical of the old boys club. Yes we had a female PM and a female President, and many CMs, but not one woman politician had been able to pursue an even vaguely feminist agenda.
I admire the ladies in politics. Yes, not all are admirable in every sense, and yes, many have sold out. Women are as corruptible as men, and perhaps we should rejoice that in this at least they may be equal to men. That said, they fight the same fight that every woman who goes to work does, in an area where there is absolute patriarchy and no transparency or accountability.
I’m hoping the gen next will be braver than we have been. I’m hoping that when an independent young woman stands for election many of us will go give her our vote. I’m hoping that the pendulum will swing hard and fast to the other end. Till then, I will do politics as best as I can – by using my voice.
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Menopause is a reality in women's lives, so Indian workplaces need to gear up and address women's menopausal needs.
Picture this: A seasoned executive at the peak of her career suddenly grapples with hot flashes and sleep disturbances during important meetings. She also battles mood swings and cognitive changes, affecting her productivity and confidence. Eventually, she resigns from her job.
Fiction? Not really. The scenario above is a reality many women face as they navigate menopause while meeting their work responsibilities.
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. This natural condition marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The transition brings unique physical, emotional, and psychological changes for women.
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