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Why Should We All Be Feminists

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Feminism is a movement that aims to achieve equality for all individuals, regardless of their gender. While it is often viewed as a movement for women, it imperative for everyone to be a feminist. A feminist society will benefit all its stakeholders which shall enable every individual to progress without discriminatory hurdles. Firstly, men should be feminists as they’ve a lot to benefit! While women disproportionately experience issues such as the gender pay gap, sexual harassment, and domestic violence; men are also affected by the patriarchal norms and expectations. Societal conditioning to be the “Provider” adds an undue mental strain on men. A feminist society can help men break free from these restrictive gender roles, allowing them to explore their interests and talents without fear of judgment. Societal pressure often discourages men from seeking help at the cost of worsening their own mental health. The privileges that men lose will work in their favour by unshackling them fro
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Racism Faced By Northeasterns in India

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“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be ANTI-RACIST.”  - Angela Davis.   What is Racism? Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioural traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. (source: Wikipedia)  Racism leads to discrimination based on ‘race’. Discrimination itself is an ill-practice that leads to feelings of hatred amongst individuals, and the sense of superiority that one race has over another can also lead to several problems, including violence.  People get bullied because of their race colour, something which they are born with and have no control upon. This behaviour has several negative effects on one’s mental and emotional health causing issues like inferiority complex, social anxiety, lack of confidence amongst people, depression, etc. Why do Northeasterns in India face racism? Northeast India is one such diverse and unique region with the presence
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Silent Echoes: Unveiling the Horrors of Women Trafficking

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Sold and destroyed like mere objects,  Their dignity shattered, no respect,  Taken from their homes and their lands,  Forced into slavery, by ruthless hands.  Their bodies used, their souls destroyed,  Deprived of their rights, and left devoid,  Of hope and freedom, they suffer in pain,  Their dreams and futures, all in vain.  We must raise our voices and stand tall,  To fight this evil, once and for all,  Give them strength and a brighter light,  To restore their lives, and end the fight.  For every woman who's trafficked and lost,  We must come together, no matter the cost,  And help them regain what they've been denied,  Their dignity, their freedom, and their pride. - Ria Dembla
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The Harsh Reality of “Recognition” for the Queer Community in Society

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Queer is an umbrella term that describes sexual orientation and gender identities apart from straight and cisgenders. As time goes by, we can see how the queer community as a whole is evolving and there are significant changes with respect to the growth patterns amongst the community and the platforms and opportunities they have been exposed to. When we talk about the importance of recognition, we can see the changing trends in that too. Looking back at the situation ten or fifteen years back, homosexuality was seen as a taboo and indeed a crime in India. As societies developed and transformed, the LGBTQ community gradually started getting the recognition they always looked for. The community has always remained closeted because they feared discrimination not just by society, but also amongst their own peer groups, families, schools, etc. Today, even though homosexuality has been accepted, understood and acknowledged amongst the younger generations, there have still been stories of str
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Women in Start-Ups - A Long Way To Go

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Startup Industry is at its peak right now in India and the world. In recent years, India has emerged as a hub for startups, with a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations. According to a report by Nasscom and Zinnov, India is home to over 50,000 startups, and the country is poised to become the world's third-largest startup ecosystem by 2025. Women have historically been underrepresented in the startup world, with just a tiny fraction of venture capital funding going to female-led businesses. Despite an increase in unicorns and startup founders, women founders are still a very minute part of the pie and receive very less funding compared to their male counterparts. According to Pam Kostka, CEO of All Raise, in 2019, only a meagre 12% of U.S. venture capital funding was directed towards female-led startups, despite two years of record-breaking investments worth over $130 billion by U.S. venture capitalists. With the current economic recession, women
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Role of Women in the Indian Freedom Struggle

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To call women the weaker sex is slander. If she did not have more inner strength, self-sacrifice, and resistance then men and mankind would not have survived. India’s struggle for freedom, commonly referred to as the Indian Independence Movement was a series of historical events with an ultimate aim of bringing an end to the British colonial rule in India. Whenever the record of India’s freedom struggle is composed, the sacrifices created by Indian women will surely find the most prominent place in it.  Leaders like the Rani of Ramgarh, Rani Jindan Kaur, Rani Tace Bai, Baiza Bai, Chauhan Rani, and Tapasvini Maharani led their troops into battle against the British in the First War of Independence in 1857. We can’t talk about this battle without mentioning the heroism displayed by Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, who valiantly defended the fort of Jhansi against the rebellion by the East India Company. Even after her troops were overwhelmed, Rani Laxmibai did not surrender.  Furthermore, Beg
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The Invisible Beauty Standards and Body Positivity

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A popular actress once said that “in the world of Kardashians, be an Audrey.” This is probably because of the beauty standards being defined as “a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.” The Kardashian are known for creating trends which are now affecting the youth: losing a large amount of weight in less time, plastic surgery, fillers etc. The youth today is becoming so influenced that in order to feel capable and qualified, they need to be perfect all the time. While on the other side was Audrey Hepburn, who said that with beauty comes kindness and love for humanity, two polar different thoughts depend on which affects us deeply.   Being Indian, the beauty standards were always bothersome: “Oh look she is not fair like her mom.”  “Kitni Moti Hai re woh!”  (look how fat she is) “How can she even wear such clothes?”  Sometimes, I even wonder with going further in time if people are becoming even more laid back w
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