Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
An elegy for choice, an illusion we offer our girls, and as an extension, our women. Because how dare they think for themselves, right?!
“beta! have you decided on what stream you will be taking?” father chides, well-meaning and jovial as ever.
“arrey, arrey! what nonsense-schmonsense this is!” mother says, chiming in. “let girl take what she want!” she proclaims, defiantly staring my father down.
he matches it with his signature grin, and begins his long monologue, god knows how long he’d prepared it for. “beta…you see! the world is heading in a good way! in a science way! its important to take what you want, whatever you like. see…you must have interest! like bank loan!
you must do what you want, yes, yes! whatever you’re wanting! anything! …as long as it’s science!”
i wonder is anything truly my choice?
you can choose to follow your dreams as long as it makes you money
you can choose to work as long as your husband allows it
you can choose to wear what you want as long as it isn’t too revealing
you can choose to use a pad or a menstrual cup as long as you don’t talk about it
you can choose to be anything you want to be as long as it’s straight, cis
you can choose to worship any god as long as its your parent’s as well
you can choose to dream as long as you know
that’s all it is…
what is choice? is it mine? is it yours? is it a collective?
no choice is an illusion
choice is taking the longer road to the exact same place just to prove you’re right
choice is choosing between two left feet to dance
choice is including someone as long as you’re not left out
choice is when even no means yes and a flower is bruised
choice is to find your own voice in a sea of others’ echoes
choice is the lies we’re fed
choice is nothing at all
Image source: a still from the film Mohabbatein
I am Janani Balaji. A grade 10 student, 15 years old and passionate about writing stories, art and poetry. I feel strongly about gender equality, body issues and mental wellness. read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
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.
Please enter your email address