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At the surface level, feminism may seem like it's a war; war against injustices, inhumanity, inequality...Yes, to some extent it is. But that isn't all it is.
This women’s day I am revisiting my evolution as a feminist. I thought I had been a feminist forever and knew all that I needed to know. But I realised there’s so much more beneath the surface. So I learnt. I grew. And I am still evolving.
I worked on questioning and dismantling my own biases, patterns of thoughts and behaviour. I realised in this process, that I had affected changes not just within me but around me; in my kids, my husband and maybe a few others. And they in turn started becoming more aware of their own patterns and biases.
At the surface level, feminism may seem like it’s a war; war against injustices, inhumanity, inequality…Yes, to some extent it is. It was/is needed. It’s imperative to jolt us all out of the vicious, regressive patriarchal drug-induced coma state.
But that’s not all.
I needed to move past the various stages – from resignation, helplessness, rage, anger, frustration, and then move towards exercising my individual power. Not waiting for that rosy future somewhere in the distant future but start living it Now!
We, in whatever capacity we are currently – as homemakers, salaried employees or anything else; In our role as parents, spouse, friend or relative. Start living from that empowered state of awareness and make changes Now! No more dreaming but living it.
It may be challenging, and even feel unsafe but that’s how we move forward.
We raged when needed, yes, but staying there, no. There is no power in victimhood. Doesn’t serve the purpose. Showing up as what we want the world to look like is where we are at.
May we individually and collectively reach a point where we take intuitive guidance from self than from external systems.
May we find our personal power, in our feminine and masculine. May that be how humanity moves forward leaving behind constructs that harm and don’t serve.
May we find joy in who we are and express it unabashedly devoid of gendered norms.
And by we, I mean both women and men!
We are all in this together.
I know I speak from a place of privilege but aren’t we all, who are using our voice in some form or another. If we as privileged can’t change our actions and behaviours on ground, then we can’t talk for those who cannot yet do it for themselves.
There’s been so much struggle and sacrifice by so many, for so long. It’s time we don’t let all that go to waste.
Be the change in small and big ways. Live the change now. Life is good and is getting better and better for all of us. Not only for our daughters and sons but for us too.
This women’s day, I want us to be optimistic. I want us to believe in our happily ever afters. And I want us to be happy in the now.
Happy women’s day!
Image source: LongShortFilms/ a still from Happy Birthday, Mummyji
A mother of two amazing kids and a teacher by profession, I have varied interests. Apart from being an avid reader, I dabble in gardening. My love for painting, cooking, travelling and jotting down my read more...
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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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