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I don't care which party brings this into effect. So many of my classmates have dropped out due to marriage. Why are people objecting to this bill?
I blame myself for getting excited seeing the news that the legal age for marriage for women will be increased to 21. But fear not. The society showed me my place. I had the good fortune of listening to multiple news debates on this issue. Yeah, this is apparently an issue that has people speaking against it.
Anyone following the news would have heard the many wonderful arguments that are coming up. I watched two debates in Malayalam news channels that ended up talking about the same points.
The same person in both the debates believed that if women are not married by 18, they will find other ways to satisfy their sexual desires and the society will lose its values. I loved how they conveniently forgot about the existence of contraception, assuming becoming pregnant at that age was their issue with unmarried women having sex.
We are all waiting to turn 18 and just have sex. Not like we happen to have dreams of getting higher education, having a career, making a name for ourselves, earning money, or being capable of looking after our parents. Naah… just sex.
Another point was that this would interfere with our right to choose our partner and get married. For years men have suffered, having to wait till they turn 21 to get married. We will also walk that brave, dangerous, challenging path that you saviours have treaded upon.
Oh yes, of course, the universal adult franchise argument! Yes, choosing your leaders, who will form the government and govern you and your country, is a huge responsibility.
But I do share that responsibility with billions of others, spread over every age group. An 18-year-old girl, getting married, becoming a mother by 19 or 20 undergoes so many changes mentally, physically, and emotionally. It literally alters that girl so much in so many tiny and big ways. The two scenarios are so different from each other; you literally cannot compare them logically.
I can assure you all that almost no 18-year-old girl is sitting in their rooms right now lamenting how the society is taking away their right to get married.
I don’t care which party brings this into effect. I couldn’t care less about it. I don’t need to know rocket science to understand the society. It is no secret that there are still so many families from different religious backgrounds who get their daughters married at the age of 18.
Heck, I know so many of my classmates who have dropped out of college after getting married. It is cheap that politicians would object to this bill only based on political agendas. I have not heard even one actual, valid argument.
Having grown up in the country that still hasn’t passed the bill for 33% female representation in the Parliament, my expectations are almost nil for getting any good legislation. But it still hurts that there are so many parties who are so ready to oppose this bill with the dumbest arguments to defend themselves.
Bracing myself for another disappointment–a 19-year-old college student who is most definitely not sad that she is not married already!
Image source: Parched
I am a confused 19 year old feminist, trying to make sense of too many things at the same time, failing to do so with flying colours! read more...
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Stop glorifying biological parenthood - other methods of growing a family are just as valid, and completely a couple's choice, especially of the woman whose body goes through pregnancy and birth.
Stop glorifying biological parenthood – other methods of growing a family are just as valid, and completely a couple’s choice, especially of the woman whose body goes through pregnancy and birth.
Trigger Warning: Contains derogatory remarks about having a baby through surrogacy or any means other than giving birth through biological means, and may be triggering, especially to adoptive parents.
Recently Priyanka Chopra Jonas announced parenthood by surrogacy. This has once again sparked the debate about ethical surrogacy, which is a discussion for another day.
Arathi Rajagopalan, founder of 'House of Kalart', talks about thinking like a designer & transitioning to thinking like a business owner.
Excerpts from an interview with Arathi Rajagopalan, founder of ‘House of Kalart’ – a fusion jewellery label that merges global aesthetics and traditional craftsmanship.
When did you start ‘House of Kalart’ and what was the intention?
I started House of Kalart in 2017 as a venture where painting, drawing and embroidery are married with metalsmithing to create well-handcrafted fashion jewellery. Along with painting and styling, the venture aims to create a holistic fashion experience for a bold and dramatic woman!” As a child, I had always been fascinated by arts and crafts.
Parliament refuses to criminalise marital rape in India. How long will we focus on saving 'culture' at the cost of women?
Parliament refuses to criminalise marital rape in India. How long will we focus on saving ‘culture’ at the cost of women?
“What mark is that? Goes well with your saree print!” I told my domestic helper as a blue colour popped up near her blouse. She tried to hide it and in the process I noticed that she had more than one of those blue prints on her. She looked at me with the most heartbreaking tears when she perceived that I had a suspicion as to why her skin was discoloured. Yet, I wasn’t ready for what I was about to hear about what I saw.
Trigger alert: This post contains descriptions of violence that could be disturbing for some readers.
Criminalising marital rape is a no-no for our governments, on dubious grounds. Unpacking the flimsy reasons that we use to justify this crime even today.
The Oxford dictionary describes the meaning of rape as ‘The crime, typically committed by a man, of forcing another person to have sexual intercourse with the offender against their will.’ The Cambridge dictionary describes rape as ‘to force someone to have sex when they are unwilling using violence or threatening behaviour’.
Now, as a person of reasonable intelligence, I fail to see any sort of clause in the definition of the act of rape which in any manner normalises the act in case of any ‘special’ circumstances.