Indian Women Archives

While India Let Down Its Women in 2020, Our Courts Protected Their Rights

In a year where sexual violence and misogynistic portrayals of women dominated news cycles, Indian courts have quietly been passing rulings that recognise and protect the rights of the nation’s women.

Rhea Arora July 21, 2016

Love and Sex

Pyaar Ka Pandemic: How Indian Women are Redefining the Rules of Lockdown Sex

Over months of India’s extended lockdown, devoid of the excitement of casual Tinder-ing and Bumble-ing, many women have explored alternate routes to channel their sexuality. New vocabularies are building, toys are being explored, conversations about previously private topics like “pleasure” are coming to the public fore.

Oishorjyo July 10, 2016

Pop Culture

Brown, Bisexual, and Bold: What Lilly Singh Means for Late Night TV

In a sea of late night TV hosts in drab blue and black suits, Lilly Singh stands out in a bright maroon suit on the debut episode of “A Little Late with Lilly Singh”. She is willing to lead the way for more diversity, but she refuses to be pigeonholed as a “flagbearer for representation”, wanting to do things her way.

Sherina Poyyail April 25, 2016

Gender

Why Are Indian Women So Shy of Baring Their Bodies in Front of Each Other?

I’ve grown up never seeing my mother bare her body in front of me. And, this personal modesty rubbed off on me when I started swimming lessons. It was only in a ladies’ locker room in San Francisco, where I saw women in different stages of undress, did I realise it was okay to be comfortable in and with my body.

Preeti Vangani April 6, 2016

Gender

“It Must Be My Fault.” Why Women Find It Difficult to Walk Out of an Abusive Relationship

For years, I lived with my abusive husband and often found myself feeling guilty and begging to make amends. That’s the thing about manipulative relationships. Years of trauma makes you believe that you are incapable of breaking free. It’s called learned helplessness.

Vaishnavi Sundar March 18, 2016

Pop Culture

The Story of Anandi Gopal, Our First Woman Doctor, is the Story of Every Indian Woman

Anandi Gopal is the retelling of Dr Anandi Joshi’s struggles, her fight for the right to dissent and for gender justice. Hundred and forty years on, her trials strike a chord. Her story is still relevant as we grapple to declare marital rape a crime and debate over women’s entry into places of worship.

Aparna joshi March 13, 2016

Sports

Manika Batra and the Smell of TT in the ’80s

When you play a sport, any sport, especially one as unglamorous as TT, it requires a different life. It has to go from being a sport, or a few hours of freedom, into your whole raison d’etre.

B Saikumar March 7, 2016

Pop Culture

The Great Indian Kitchen Review: Misogyny is a Dish Served in Every Household

Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen does not minimise women’s hard work in the kitchen to “mamta aur pyaar”. Instead, it follows the “show don’t tell” route to narrate the story of women whose entire day revolves around the four meals demanded by the men who feel entitled to their labour.

Nalini Nair March 7, 2016