DesiPundit

Pradeep answers folks who wonder why women employ cooks. [Hat tip: Silverine]

A working woman is no different from a working man. Eight to ten hours of work in the office leaves her — just as her hubby — with hardly any energy to do work at home. She is just like a man who would prefer to watch TV or just sleep rather than do any work at home.

It’s not that women can’t cook. She is employing a cook, only like a man appointing a driver or a cleaner for the car. It’s not that the man can’t find some time to wash the car himself.

Now, this may seem like a fairy simple and straightforward point to many of you, but it’s worth pointing out since so many people still don’t seem to get it!

Maami comments on the recent controversies about  clothes worn by actresses at public functions down south. [Hat tip: Adithya]

While the old Dravidian canons proclaim that they stood for women’s empowerment alongside social upliftment, the cultural and gender aspirations were quite opposite. The metaphor went that maatran veedu malligai manakkum (the blossom in the neighbour’s garden smells sweeter). It’s an analogy that hints at the Tamil man’s conquest over the non-Tamil woman, a certain covetousness that he takes as part of his patriarchal privilege. Hence the non-Tamil actress is enjoyed for her fair skin and her uninhibitedness on screen for his voyeuristic enjoyment but also denigrated for indecent exposure.

Gayatri talks about Aval Appadithaan - a movie in which Rajni Kanth, arguably, acts better than Kamal Haasan! And its sad that this movie released in 1970s and even now, women are objects of biased judgemental treatment.

The most refreshing thing about this movie is its non-judgmental narrative. Everything, from its title that reads “that’s just her” (loosely translated), to the portrayal of Manju, who’s character and openness scares everyone around her, to Rajni, who talks about generalises all women with a grin and a drink in his hand. Now, this is bold cinema cos it justifies nothing!

Sunil talks about how to encourage women in the academia, especially the sciences.

Most major research universities now admit that there are difficulties women face in research that have nothing to do with their scientific abilities. Subsequently, most universities now say they are actively trying to rectify this, and look to hire more talented female faculty. Departments try to have career workshops for female graduate students and postdocs to encourage them to stay in academia, there are endless efforts to recruit more female students and so on.

He figures that in spite of the fact that universities have molded the rules to fit female candidates, the rules are not encouraging enough, especially when a woman has to go on maternity leave and can find better opportunities outside of the academia. As a graduate student, I have seen women trying to juggle too many balls - research, children, a job. It’s true that universities must make further education much more enticing for women to stay in universities.

Emancipation of eve argues that women who go for breast-enhancement procedures suffer from low self-esteem,

So what happens when a woman’s breasts – whether bigger or smaller – do not adhere to the Accepted Image? She feels ridiculed, feels she’s lacking and thinks she is not as attractive as other women to the point that at times her entire personality suffers. Looking good is important in today’s world (and I daresay in the previous ones as well) and with women being constantly told they have to look a certain image, the numbers going to great lengths to achieve that goal are increasing.

State Human Rights Commission Chairperson,  Justice S.R.Nayak, states that immodest dressing is the cause of increasing crimes against women! Gawker reacts to these asinine comments.

Alright people, are you with me here? Did your jaw just drop to the floor? If not, then you probably weren’t paying attention. That was the Chairperson of the Karnatak State Human Rights Commission advocating the cessation of human rights. Call me greedy, but in my opinion, the right not to be imprisoned in your own house would constitute a fundamental human right. Or am I asking for too much? What next, a forest conservation commission chairperson blaming trees for getting cut due to their egregious act of casting shade and thus, advertizing their presence to illegal loggers?

Anil chats with Chirodeep Chaudhuri as he sets up his exhibit at the Kala Ghoda Art Festival.

Supported by Project 88, Chirodeep’s exhibits transported explicit Graffitti from Mumbai’s local trains to the middle of Bombay’s Art District. It took Chirodeep Chaudhuri over six months of trawling Mumbai local trains on the Central Line to bring ‘home’, in more ways than one, how graffiti that lie still on walls enclosing commuter space actually intrude and shrink it. In their silence they etch noise. Much as they target women, they seek to concur with like minds while encouraging latent urges into manifesting visibly.

I thought we had heard all the horror stories about prostitution in India - the kidnapping of girls, the inhuman conditions, the lack of opportunities to escape all this, the HIV risk.. Now there is another  - Cynic in Wonderland points to the dangerous practice of injecting hormones in pre-teen girls in Pune to make them appear older and more mature.

What are the people who burn buses for kissing in public doing about this?

The mixture of estrogens and testosterone is dangerous, (and often lethal) is forcibly given to these girls (considerately called ‘vitamins’ if you please) supposedly for the better health of the girls – but probably for the continued health of the pimps. ‘Fresh girls’ who actually look much older, have a dual advantage – on one hand, they are more ‘marketable’ and probably fetch a better price ; and on the other hand, they are also less likely to attract the attention of cops or social service workers.

Ms.Blue was taking questions on Valentine’s Day and now answers the two important ones:

a. What (do) women want?
b. Why do ‘white people’ invoke their love for yoga and Bollywood when they date a desi?

I’m not sure if she is taking anymore questions but I’m sure this can turn into a full-time thing on DesiPundit. What say, Blue?

Kima wonders why women from the North-eastern states of India are typecast as loose women.   Women all over India do find that levels of harassment have steadily increased, but perhaps those in the North East face an even higher degree.

But what really hurts, is when some tactless wannabe reporter comes up with an article at a daily newspaper (of a circulation of more than a million) [Link: MailToday] affirming the preconceived notion people fallaciously have about women from the North-east, that they are all nothing but the scums of society ready to sleep with anybody for money or a mug of draught beer at happy-hours TGIF.