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The mask she wears to hide her bruises, her pain, her distress from everyone, to hold up her head and go through life... can you not see it?
The mask she wears to hide her bruises, her pain, her distress from everyone, to hold up her head and go through life… can you not see it?
She is bemused. It is startling to see everyone wear the mask, to talk about it, to ask which one is needed?
The mask is not something that is new to her, you see…
She chuckles at the questions you ask, Because she has always worn a mask The mask that hid the bruise, Made possible for you to ignore the abuse The mask let you imagine she was fulfilled Inspite of her thousand dreams killed It showed none of her pain So you needed to take no blame The mask with the fake smile pasted Hiding the emptiness that left her wasted Covering what you wouldn’t hear, The mask was her live saver. So behind a façade she would shrink, Pushing herself to the brink. Staring at a deep abysss As all truth you would dismiss Today, she lets her thoughts meander, To what she would often wonder. When she was left with no without, Looking inwards resolved her doubt She saw through the cloak that you wear, Of control, of a society beyond repair She recognised how you played your part With blinkers; and the mask on your heart
Bemused, she smiles. Masks, or no masks, she still has the capacity to feel, and the courage to believe. Do you, dear world, dear society, have the same?
Can you still smile beneath your mask?
If you or anyone you know is feeling depressed or suicidal, here are some of the helplines available in India. Please call. Aasra, Mumbai: 022-27546669 Sneha, Chennai: 044-2464 0050 Lifeline, Kolkata: 033-2474 4704 Sahai, Bangalore: 080–25497777 Roshni, Hyderabad: 040-66202000, 040-66202001
Image source: johnhain on pixabay
Shalini is an author and a practicing doctor specializing in respiratory pathology. Her book Stars from the Borderless Sea (2022) was longlisted for the AutHer Awards 2023 (Debut category). Shalini was awarded a Jury Appreciation read more...
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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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