As they were often seen together in public, our family got more peeved. My grandmother branded her own daughter as a shameless slut. As if she was committing adultery, even though she was a widow with no husband around.

It was at that moment that it struck me so hard that maybe I, as a person have never been important to them. All that they cared about was "what would the relatives think if they knew I had a male friend."

Indian schools often take active part in moral policing/ honour-based abuse, especially of girls who are not just shamed for their dressing choices, but can also be in real danger for talking to boys and 'falling in love'.

Kangana Ranaut called Urmila Matondkar a 'soft porn star' - but hey, so many women, a whole, beautiful, inspiring tribe of them stood up in her defence!

Shame is an emotion we are never able to fully understand or come to terms with since we have constantly been told to accept or even submit to it.