What actions should HR and business leaders take to curb mental harassment at work? Share your thoughts.
We need to create a safe space of women who choose to go to gynaecologists because these stories refrain most of us from consulting one.
I have always admired female friendships. That is a messed up thought, considering the pace at which we move toward a gender-neutral society.
Kerala made headlines once again by introducing gender-neutral uniforms. As a Malayali, I must say I’m proud. But coming back to my hypocrite thoughts, female friendships are different- maybe because I wanted it to be different (so it appears different to me).
“We work at a police force full of dudes- we gotta have each other back. Okay!”
I had goosebumps when Rosa Diaz said this to Amy Santiago ( yes, I love Brooklyn Nine-Nine). That could be the reason why I love seeing women standing up for each other.
Then something happened.
One of my friends had abnormal bleeding- which we later found out was a side effect of an emergency birth control pill.
I took her to the hospital just like a normal person, not foreseeing the plight and sexual freedom women have. She (my friend) was already in fear, and it was I who forced her to see a gynaecologist.
I was confident because Gyn as a doctor, has a better understanding of the female reproductive system and as a woman would be able to empathise with her.
It was a reality check for me. I still don’t understand what she (Gyn) was doing when they were given a class on ethics. Anyway, she succeeded in slut-shaming and traumatising my friend with all those ‘virginity saved for husband’ speeches.
This incident helped me a lot in understanding the very concept of women supporting women. Everything that felt easier before seems to be very difficult now.
The entire concept of the ‘good girl’ that we’ve been fed since childhood is traumatising. We are taught to look at each other with hatred- inciting internalised misogyny.
The ‘you are not like other girls’ is still a romantic phrase in Bollywood movies. The funny part is we have a lot more to deal with before talking about sexual freedom.
The problem wasn’t the bleeding or the probability of her being pregnant. The problem lies in the hatred, and the solution is quite easy- all you have to do is open your eyes.
Because, at the end of the day, every woman deserves to be looked at without hatred and judgement.
Image credits: Mart Production on Pexels
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I wanted to scream with excitement that my daughter chose to write about her ambition and aspirations over everything else first. To me, this was one of those parenting 'win' moments.
My daughter turned eight years old in January, and among the various gifts she received from friends and family was an absolutely beautiful personal journal for self-growth. A few days ago, she was exploring the pages when she found a section for writing a letter to her future self. She found this intriguing and began jotting down her thoughts animatedly.
My curiosity piqued and she could sense it immediately. She assured me that she would show me the letter soon, and lo behold, she kept her word.
I glanced at her words, expecting to see a mention of her parents in the first sentence. But, to my utter delight, the first thing she had written about was her AMBITION. Yes, the caps here are intentional because I want to scream with excitement that my daughter chose to write about her ambition and aspirations over everything else first. To me, this was one of those parenting ‘win’ moments.
It's well known how diplomatic and professional Priyanka Chopra is. Why would she want to stir the hornet’s nest when everyone’s happy in their personal space?
Priyanka Chopra (PC) did something completely out of character. She’s usually known for being articulate and mostly diplomatic, unless she wants to give sassy comebacks to people who try to put her on the spot or ‘in her place’.
She’s someone who’s never fought the establishment because she understands you can’t win against it anyway. But you can work around it to get your way to the top. She’s a thorough professional and team player.
For someone like Priyanka Chopra who’s never played victim so far, to admit being the scapegoat of petty politics in the Hindi film industry was refreshing. It’s good to see this unfiltered, vulnerable side of her for a change. PC revealed one of her reasons for shifting to Hollywood on the podcast, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.
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