Gender Archives

Hey Mister, How Long is Your… Spine?

It is nice to meet a man who plays the guitar, or reads Kafka, or travels the world. But that’s every other guy today. What is special, is to see a man who can get a male friend to back off, when he is making a woman uncomfortable. It’s nice to see a man with a spine.

Sugandha May 17, 2016

Gender

Why Are We Not Outraging Over the Pollachi Sex Abuse Scandal?

Police in Tamil Nadu say that more than 50 women have been sexually abused by a four-member gang in Pollachi. Yet the plight of the survivors has gone unnoticed and reported sparingly by the mainstream media.

Kahini Iyer May 17, 2016

Gender

Zoom Anxiety is Real: Why Work Video Calls Are Harder for Women than Men

The Zoom meeting has become an ubiquitous — and sometimes even necessary — part of the work-from-home culture. Particularly for women, these calls are often fraught with anxiety over the way we’re meant to look in order to be “professional” and “presentable” even from our own homes.

Kahini Iyer May 17, 2016

Gender

PJs I Love You: The Joy of Being Jhalla in Your Tattered Pyjama

When Sinead O’Connor sang “Nothing Compares to You” for her love that walked out of her life, she had obviously not discovered the orgasmic pleasure of slipping into soft pyjamas and a braless tee. Especially when the pyjama is as old as the Big Bang and the top has as many holes as there are stars in the sky

Purba Ray May 17, 2016

Gender

Predators, Prey-shamers & the Jungle Book of Sexual Harassment

Harvey Weinstein and his brand of predators are everywhere and every woman has encountered them. And each woman has been implicated by their harasser, has been mired in self-doubt and felt guilty.

Antara Telang May 16, 2016

Gender

Why Do So Many Women Treat Period Leave as a Sign of Weakness?

The period leave debate was bound to cause a stir, but we didn’t know that the opposition would come from many women. The antipathy shows us that we can only celebrate “exceptional” women, who succeed in a world & workplace tailored for men, but stop short of levelling the field for ordinary women.

Kahini Iyer May 16, 2016

Gender

“Divorced? Why Do You Need a Condom?” How to Find a Non-Judgmental Gynaec

After my divorce, a trip to any gynaecologist routinely involved invasive psychoanalysis of my answers to their queries about the separation and my means of coping. Seeking a non-judgmental gynaec seemed like an exercise in proving that unicorns walk the earth.

Charmi Trevadia May 15, 2016

Gender

Sex and the Sanskari Gynaec

As sex, and talking about sex, came out into the open over the last decade, did our gynaecologists miss the memo? Why do I end up with a neighbourhood mausi when I go for a diagnosis?

Shruti Sunderraman May 15, 2016

Gender

Fair & Lovely Will Drop “Fair” From its Brand Name. Why Dark-skinned Girls Like Me Are Cheering

After years of criticism, the fairness cream Fair & Lovely will drop the word "fair" from its brand name. That's a great step forward, but you can’t keep people from equating fair with lovely. Still, it matters that dark-skinned girls like me no longer have to transform into a “more acceptable” version of ourselves.

Sonali Kokra May 14, 2016

Gender

The Numbers Are Telling: We Have a Lot of Worry about When It Comes to Sex Ratio & Domestic Violence

In a worrying trend for India’s gender parity goals, eight states that had posted gains in the past have recorded a decline in sex ratio at birth. This includes Kerala, which was once hailed for positive sex ratio. Even gender violence has been “distressingly high”, according to data released by the National Family Health Survey.

Arré Bench May 12, 2016