PATRIARCHY

What happened to Standing Rock water protector Red Fawn Fallis is what has happened to many women political dissenters who go up against Big Government/Corporate power.  After she was viciously tackled by several police officers (caught on video), she was brought up on serious charges of harming those who harmed her.  Fallis, after months of intense corporate/military surveillance and handy informant reports, was targeted as a coordinator and a leader, a symbol and an inspiration.  For daring to make a stand for her people against the encroaching poison and destruction brought by the Dakota

Today was the day many of us have been waiting for since 2013. That was the year the Supreme Court re-criminalised homosexuality. That case was set to be re-opened today with much anticipation. Petitioner for the respondents advocate Mr. Rohatgi and advocate Dattar represented the side of those appealing for reading down of IPC Section 377. In 2013 the SC[Read More...]

Starting on the 10th of July, the hearings on four important constitutional cases shall begin in the Supreme Court of India. Joseph Shine v. Union of India, one of the four cases, pertains to the constitutional validity of the Adultery Law in India. In this context, it becomes pertinent to revisit the Adultery Law in India and the judicial and[Read More...]

Since the stirring of “second wave” feminism a half century ago, the movement has become progressively more inclusive and systemic. Early on, Marxist-feminists argued that true women’s liberation required transcending both patriarchy and capitalism, and thus a politics at once feminist and anti-classist was essential. Soon, they, too, were challenged to broaden their theory and practice to acknowledge oppressions arising[Read More...]

With women entering job market, sexual abuse and harassment has increased. But, many women choose to keep ‘ silent ‘ on their exploitation by male higher authorities and management or superiors. This is mainly due to fear of job safety, undermined by their own colleagues and lack of support if they come out openly. Punam Sehgal and Aastha Dang (2017)[Read More...]

Suchitra Dey, formerly known as Hiranmey Dey, underwent a sex-reassignment surgery last year. She has an MA degree in Geography as well as in English and has also done her B.Ed. She teaches in a private school in Kolkata. In a recent interview, she talked to The Indian Express about her job interview experiences with some schools around Kolkata. Recounting[Read More...]

As atrocities on women are rising, it is becoming increasing unsafe for women to live without fear. The foindings of a global perception poll conducted by Thomson Reuters Foundation, a charity which surveyed 558 experts on women’s issues in order to  assess nations on overall safety of women found that India is the least safe country. ( Tish Sanghera, June[Read More...]

The cult of 56 inches does not symbolize courage or strength, it portrays toxic masculinity. And toxic masculinity is not normal.It must be resisted. When Simon de Beauvoir[1] wrote about becoming women’ she was referring to the notion of social construction of a person as a woman. Similarly, masculinity is also related to the notion of becoming aman’ in a[Read More...]

Why do we deny it? Why do we accept it? Why is it so prevalent? Molestation by a known person is widely prevalent and is somehow, unfortunately acceptable and is considered unavoidable in family structures. As a victim of this heinous act, you can cry out to your mother or husband or friend about it…. And they will all either[Read More...]

Swami Vivekananda Kerala a ‘lunatic asylum’ 125 years ago because of its stringent caste system. It seems it holds true in more than one sense after the ‘honour killing’ of a young dalit bridegroom, Kevin P. Joseph, in Kottayam. Kevin and Neenu, a second year B.Com student had got married at a civil marriage ceremony on May 24. Neenu’s family[Read More...]