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Like every year, we have a number of excellent pieces published in 2023. And like I do it every year, here is a ready round-up of those pieces that you, as readers, have shown the most love towards.
It’s a mixed list – with everything from personal experiences, feminist perspectives on issues that matter to the modern Indian woman, short stories, talking finances, pop culture & celebrities, to resources for working women.
So, without much delay, here they are, from the most read downwards, each with a short excerpt to give you a flavour of the piece.
Poornima Kulathu
It took me a deep understanding of feminism to know that it is multi layered, that the feminist of the 1950s or the 80s is still as much a feminist as that of 2023. We would not be here today, with our freedom to hold a job or even write this piece if it were not for the feminists of the past who sacrificed a part of themselves so their daughters could breathe a little easier, walk a little further.
Read it here.
Dr Pooja Birwatkar
What have we turned women’s day into? A day of fun and frolic, to dress and party. Is it seriously this? A day of giving stretched sermons and preachy feministic discussion.
Publicised events with merchandise crying hoarse –Acknowledge Women. We exist in the same vein as you do.
Shouldn’t we just stop proving –A woman is equal to man. Better than man. If a man can do so can a woman. Let’s stop thinking; proclaiming and saying this. We don’t see the other gender referring to this so why should we? This does not mean we adopt the ‘I don’t care what you think about me’ stance.
Mary Binoy
People asked me how I spend my evenings and weekends as I was all alone. But, the truth was I had lots of activities that in fact, I ran short of time. My evenings were spent in the company of books and movies. Sometimes, I would just drive to a mall for window shopping or to the beach just to feel the breeze. I did have my share of dull days when my hormones were low, but with time I learned to overcome and deal with it. I was just thankful that at this particular time I didn’t have to deal another one’s mood swings or tantrums.
Aruna Raghuram
And, finally, a solo lifestyle actually makes you reach out to like-minded people seeking friendships. There is a belief that it’s difficult to make friends after a certain age. That may be partly true, but it’s not impossible. However set we get in our ways in the fifties, the chances of meeting friends with similar mindsets and interests are very much there. We just have to stretch that extra bit to reach out to them.
Aritra Paul
There are tax advantages to having a home office! Having one can provide tax relief to both employers and employees that I was not aware of! My cousin was able to deduct some of her utilities as office expenses, and her company reimbursed her a certain per cent of the budget spent!
Preethi Warrier
“Financial independence is a must for everyone, especially women. Lifespan and relations do not come with a guarantee. Moreover, if you wish to have a say in any of the important household decisions, and if you desire to be taken seriously, you must earn. Your financial dependency will push you down and there will be no equal partnership in your marriage anymore.” Mother always reasoned.
Supriya Bansal
I focused on the hushed whispers, and my heart sank to my stomach. The women were talking about my dark skin. ‘Dusky and dark,’ ‘If only she was fairer,’ and ‘Nothing Fair and Lovely won’t fix’—were a few of the comments. The nasty remarks burned like hot coals in my ears, scorching me inside out.
Pragati Jha
By now she was a medical student and a mother of a girl child. Her third phase of life had started so early that she was only 19yrs old. Now she had to be both – a mother and a medical student. My grandmother (nani ma) took the burden of taking care of her granddaughter, and sent her to the medical college hostel for her further studies while I was only two months old.
Reena Daruwalla
He hopes that his daughter will be quiet, like him, so they can both ‘handle Alia’. Basically he made the equivalent of a bad WhatsApp ‘wife joke’. There is so much Indian Uncle energy in what he said – I wonder if this has to do with the fact that he is 11 years older than his wife? How about some self-awareness, uncle?
Rhea Sakhardande
We often have metrics that focus only on hiring women – they show women’s representation in the workforce. However, when we look at metrics around women’s promotions or their growth in their fields, the data reflects where we lack.
While organizations conduct drives to hire women and attract them to the workforce, they must create environments wherein women can thrive. Therefore, if we are to study the presence of women in leadership roles, we need to examine and analyze various metrics.
Upasana Dandona
Vikash seems to be one of the most obnoxiously misogynistic men one can ever come across. He rejects multiple women who are clearly way better than him, and acts as if he is doing them a favour by agreeing to meet them.
By the end, I was left wondering how a person like him could be that demanding and demeaning. He discards them for the lamest of reasons, so someone needs to burst his bubble of superiority and tell him that other than being toxic, he isn’t quite the catch he thinks he is, either!
Akankha Basu Roy
But not all business ventures require a hefty amount to be set up. If you are passionate about business, and dream of having one of your own, but your capital is limited, do not worry. I have researched left and right to create a list of the best business to start with little money, which are India-specific and have low risks!
Natasha Ramarathnam
Imagine this. It is a cold winter afternoon, and your partner makes you a perfect cup of chai with just the right hint of adrak. You savour the drink, and think of how lucky you are to have a partner who pampers you so much. Then you go into the kitchen to rinse the cup, and you see the mess. Saucepan still on the burner with an inch of tea congealing in it, large piece of ginger thrown in the sink, spilt tea on the counter, tea container only partially closed, sugar container where it shouldn’t be, milk put back in the fridge but without the lid. You spend the next five minutes cleaning up, and wonder if it wouldn’t have been easier to make the tea yourself. Your partners’ intent may have been honourable, but you feel cheated.
Sreemati Sen
I found a seat and sat down. An elderly woman sat beside me. A while later, the woman asked about the test I was supposed to undergo. She did not understand the term mammogram. I explained further. Gasping in horror, she covered her face. Other women stared hard at me; shock and disdain were written on their faces.
A woman whispered. ‘Isn’t your husband enough? Why do you need strangers to fondle your private parts?’
Annapurna Pandey
The H-4 dependent visa holders are not allowed to have a social security number or to work in the country. They cannot apply for a driver’s license without their spouse’s approval. The visa has been dubbed the “depression visa” and the “prisoner visa” since women, who are often highly qualified and have work experience, become frustrated in the traditional housewife role that U.S. immigration policy forces on them. Ironically, these educated professional women find the worst form of patriarchy which is reinforced as dependents on their H-1B visa-holder spouses.
Tanvi Sinha
Abusive men do not become abusive all of a sudden. They have been abusive since they were kids. The MIL must have received so many complaints throughout the son’s school, college days. She is fully aware of the son’s temperament. And she is also good at hiding his flaws. She has years of experience in doing so! Yet after marriage, she deceives everybody into believing that the son has always been gentle and ‘how come so many conflicts are happening only with this new woman?’
Ishita Varma
If a woman can make it to a top position or accomplish something, one of the most common statements that one gets to hear is ‘she slept her way to the top’; and I believe anyone who says this statement is projecting their own insecurity.
Paromita Bardoloi
Hi, I am Simran from DDLJ. I was 21 when I married Raj- the Raj Malhotra. And I am sure, you are excited to know what happened once we both boarded the train. Who can forget me running to hold Raj’s hand in the moving train? I am 45 now. And my husband is 46.
Tina Sequeira
I have my own theory about what triggered PC to speak up about her Bollywood boycott now, but it’ll be mere speculation and I’d like to refrain from that. I’m sure though, that this deliberate attempt to outcast her from Bollywood still hurts. I’m just glad she spoke her truth.
Nivedita Ramesh
The fuck-off fund is a term coined by Paulette Perhach in a billfold article in 2018, for the money that enables ‘a woman to live for half a year without anyone’s help’, should the need arise. It’s the money that emboldens her to say ‘fuck off if a fuck off is deserved’, and any woman who wants to be able to say this should start a fuck-off fund.
In her role as the Senior Editor & Community Manager at Women's Web, Sandhya Renukamba is fortunate to associate every day with a whole lot of smart and fabulous writers and readers. A doctor 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.
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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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