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Thanks to his makeup videos, Ankush Bahuguna is now a household name. A feminist to the core, this is why he inspires me!
Ankush Bahuguna is an actor, writer and social media influencer. Popularly known for creating hilarious content loaded with sarcasm, he never fails to take a stand for what is right. Through his on-point videos and tweets, Ankush has always proved to be an inspiring feminist I look up to.
While people look at gender equality as villainous, Bahuguna makes sure to support feminism and gender equality every possible way. Here are some ways Ankush Bahuguna proved to be a proud feminist.
If you follow him on social media, you definitely have seen videos of him applying makeup and slaying every look. With these videos, he tries to break the societal stereotype of makeup being used solely by women.
In one of his videos, he is applying makeup while telling society that beauty need not be associated only to women. Applying makeup doesn’t take away one’s masculinity and one’s personal choice should be respected. This is what he believes in and is something we all need to believe in as well.
He has received a lot of appreciation for his pictures where he’s wearing eyeliner. However, it was brought to his notice that as a cis-gendered man he had the privilege of being applauded while a lot of non-binary or trans-persons can barely express themselves. He admitted it and made a plea to his audience to be more accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Ankush recently uploaded a video titled ‘How To Prevent Rapes.’ In the video, he made it clear that women are in no way responsible for the crime. And that society needs to stop telling women how to ‘prevent rapes,’ instead, it should teach men to respect women.
A few months ago, the “bois locker room” incident shook all of us. Ankush Bahuguna condemned the incident through a series of tweets. He clearly stated that women need not be seen only in relation to men but as equals. That they deserve to be respected regardless of what they mean to men.
Now that we are talking about the #boyslockerroom, I'll tell you something that I was told by someone a few years ago, because it made so much sense! — Ankush Bahuguna (@AnkushBahuguna) May 4, 2020
Now that we are talking about the #boyslockerroom, I'll tell you something that I was told by someone a few years ago, because it made so much sense!
— Ankush Bahuguna (@AnkushBahuguna) May 4, 2020
One of his videos shows how people often misinterpret feminism. Statements like ‘what about men’ or ‘not all men are the same’ are often used to might end to discussions on equality and women empowerment. His video talks about why it is wrong to make such statements.
It is a common notion that women are bad drivers. This isn’t just sexist but also illogical. In a video, Ankush takes a stand against this idea and makes it a point to bring forth the discrimination female drivers face.
He also focuses on the disparity in ratio between male and female drivers. It’s mainly because most women in our country do not get an opportunity to drive, people tend to generalise women as being bad drivers. One’s skills have nothing to do with one’s gender.
On his Instagram page, Bahuguna made a post titled ‘How to know if you’re being sexist. In this post, he explains in detail the characteristics to help you identify if you’re being sexist. Associating behavioural traits to a specific gender makes us sexist. Similarly, behaving in a certain way with someone because of their gender means that we are being sexist.
He adds we’re all ‘conditioned’ to be a certain way and are all products of patriarchy. But we shouldn’t justify our words and actions and use ‘conditioning’ as an excuse. Though he mainly refers to men here, he also adds that sexism can equally be practised by women. Therefore, all genders should equally fight against it.
Everyone is aware of the controversy over the recent Tanishq ad. The advertisement was taken down because of the hatred it received. A lot of influencers shared their opinion in favour of it, including Ankush Bahuguna.
Image source: Twitter.com/AnkushBahuguna
Ankush Bahuguna was once invited to Kirorimal College for their ‘Women’s Enclave’ for a panel discussion. However, there were no women on this panel. When he pointed this out, the authorities assured him that they would have female speakers too. But they failed to get any women on the panel and Bahuguna backed out. Any discussion about women empowerment and their development should have women as a part of it instead of only men.
Please read this before you call me out. Also, #KMC maybe you should take down the poster now? pic.twitter.com/M94t1FySyb — Ankush Bahuguna (@AnkushBahuguna) September 24, 2019
Please read this before you call me out. Also, #KMC maybe you should take down the poster now? pic.twitter.com/M94t1FySyb
— Ankush Bahuguna (@AnkushBahuguna) September 24, 2019
From movies to songs and even literature, objectification of women isn’t an uncommon occurrence. And this is yet another issue that Ankush Bahuguna has spoken about.
While a lot of people detest the idea of feminism and believe that it is a threat to their superiority, people like Bahuguna understand the core value of feminism. He understands that feminism isn’t about one gender dominating the other but all existing equally.
On multiple occasions, Bahuguna has taken a stand for all the women, men and queer people who suffer underneath the shackles of patriarchy. He definitely proves the belief wrong that men cannot be feminists.
More power to Ankush Bahuguna who, like us is smashing the patriarchy in his own personal way!
A version of this was first published here.
Picture credits: Stills from Ankush Bahuguna’s Instagram handle
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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.
Women today don’t want to be in a partnership that complicates their lives further. They need an equal partner with whom they can figure out life as a team, playing by each other’s strengths.
We all are familiar with that one annoying aunty who is more interested in our marital status than in the dessert counter at a wedding. But these aunties have somehow become obsolete now. Now they are replaced by men we have in our lives. Friends, family, and even work colleagues. It’s the men who are worried about why we are not saying yes to one among their clans. What is wrong with us? Aren’t we scared of dying alone? Like them?
A recent interaction with a guy friend of mine turned sour when he lectured me about how I would regret not getting married at the right time. He lectured that every event in our lives needs to be completed within a certain timeframe set by society else we are doomed. I wasn’t angry. I was just disappointed to realize that annoying aunties are rapidly doubling in our society. And they don’t just appear at weddings or family functions anymore. They are everywhere. They are the real pandemic.
Let’s examine this a little closer.
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