#gender stereotypes in indian families

[its-poojagupta-shree]

India, a land of rich traditions and diverse cultures, has long been bound by rigid gender roles and stereotypes. For centuries, these societal norms have shaped the lives of individuals, restricting their choices and limiting their potential. However, in recent years, there has been a growing movement towards breaking these stereotypes and shattering gender roles in Indian society. This blog explores the evolving landscape of gender roles and stereotypes in India and highlights the importance of challenging these notions to create a more inclusive and equitable society.

[katrafiy]

I think about this image a lot. This is an image from the Aurat March (Women's March) in Karachi, Pakistan, on International Women's Day 2018. The women in the picture are Pakistani trans women, aka khwaja siras or hijras; one is a friend of a close friend of mine.

In the eyes of the Pakistani government and anthropologists, they're a "third gender." They're denied access to many resources that are available to cis women. Trans women in Pakistan didn't decide to be third-gendered; cis people force it on them whether they like it or not.

Western anthropologists are keen on seeing non-Western trans women as culturally constructed third genders, "neither male nor female," and often contrast them (a "legitimate" third gender accepted in its culture) with Western trans women (horrific parodies of female stereotypes).

There's a lot of smoke and mirrors and jargon used to obscure the fact that while each culture's trans women are treated as a single culturally constructed identity separate from all other trans women, cis women are treated as a universal category that can just be called "women."

Even though Pakistani aurat and German Frauen and Guatemalan mujer will generally lead extraordinarily different lives due to the differences in culture, they are universally recognized as women.

The transmisogynist will say, "Yes, but we can't ignore the way gender is culturally constructed, and hijras aren't trans women, they're a third gender. Now let's worry less about trans people and more about the rights of women in Burkina Faso."

In other words, to the transmisogynist, all cis women are women, and all trans women are something else.

"But Kat, you're not Indian or Pakistani. You're not a hijra or khwaja sira, why is this so important to you?"

Have you ever heard of the Neapolitan third gender "femminiello"? It's the term my moniker "The Femme in Yellow" is derived from, and yes, I'm Neapolitan. Shut up.

I'm going to tell you a little bit about the femminielli, and I want you to see if any of this sounds familiar. Femminielli are a third gender in Neapolitan culture of people assigned male at birth who have a feminine gender expression.

They are lauded and respected in the local culture, considered to be good omens and bringers of good luck. At festivals you'd bring a femminiello with you to go gambling, and often they would be brought in to give blessings to newborns. Noticing anything familiar yet?

Oh and also they were largely relegated to begging and sex work and were not allowed to be educated and many were homeless and lived in the back alleys of Naples, but you know we don't really like to mention that part because it sounds a lot less romantic and mystical.

And if you're sitting there, asking yourself why a an accurate description of femminiello sounds almost note for note like the same way hijras get described and talked about, then you can start to understand why that picture at the start of this post has so much meaning for me.

And you can also start to understand why I get so frustrated when I see other queer people buy into this fool notion that for some reason the transes from different cultures must never mix.

That friend I mentioned earlier is a white American trans woman. She spent years living in India, and as I recal the story the family she was staying with saw her as a white, foreign hijra and she was asked to use her magic hijra powers to bless the house she was staying in.

So when it comes to various cultural trans identities there are two ways we can look at this. We can look at things from a standpoint of expressed identity, in which case we have to preferentially choose to translate one word for the local word, or to leave it untranslated.

If we translate it, people will say we're artificially imposing an outside category (so long as it's not cis people, that's fine). If we don't, what we're implying, is that this concept doesn't exist in the target language, which suggests that it's fundamentally a different thing

A concrete example is that Serena Nanda in her 1990 and 2000 books, bent over backwards to say that Hijras are categorically NOT trans women. Lots of them are!

And Don Kulick bent over backwards in his 1998 book to say that travesti are categorically NOT trans women, even though some of the ones he cited were then and are now trans women.

The other option, is to look at practice, and talk about a community of practice of people who are AMAB, who wear women's clothing, take women's names, fulfill women's social roles, use women's language and mannerisms, etc WITHIN THEIR OWN CULTURAL CONTEXT.

This community of practice, whatever we want to call it - trans woman, hijra, transfeminine, femminiello, fairy, queen, to name just a few - can then be seen to CLEARLY be trans-national and trans-cultural in a way that is not clearly evident in the other way of looking at things.

And this is important, in my mind, because it is this axis of similarity that is serving as the basis for a growing transnational transgender rights movement, particularly in South Asia. It's why you see pictures like this one taken at the 2018 Aurat March in Karachi, Pakistan.

And it also groups rather than splits, pointing out not only points of continuity in the practices of western trans women and fa'afafines, but also between trans women in South Asia outside the hijra community, and members of the hijra community both trans women and not.

To be blunt, I'm not all that interested in the word trans woman, or the word hijra. I'm not interested in the word femminiello or the word fa'afafine.

I'm interested in the fact that when I visit India, and I meet hijras (or trans women, self-expressed) and I say I'm a trans woman, we suddenly sit together, talk about life, they ask to see American hormones and compare them to Indian hormones.

There is a shared community of practice that creates a bond between us that cis people don't have. That's not to say that we all have the exact same internal sense of self, but for the most part, we belong to the same community of practice based on life histories and behavior.

I think that's something cis people have absolutely missed - largely in an effort to artificially isolate trans women. This practice of arguing about whether a particular "third gender" label = trans women or not, also tends to artificially homogenize trans women as a group.

You see this in Kulick and Nanda, where if you read them, you could be forgiven for thinking all American trans women are white, middle class, middle-aged, and college-educated, who all follow rigid codes of behavior and surgical schedules prescribed by male physicians.

There are trans women who think of themselves as separate from cis women, as literally another kind of thing, there are trans women who think of themselves as coterminous with cis women, there are trans women who think of themselves as anything under the sun you want to imagine.

The problem is that historically, cis people have gone to tremendous lengths to destroy points of continuity in the transgender community (see everything I've cited and more), and particularly this has been an exercise in transmisogyny of grotesque levels.

The question is do you want to talk about culturally different ways of being trans, or do you want to try to create as many neatly-boxed third genders as you can to prop up transphobic theoretical frameworks? To date, people have done the latter. I'm interested in the former.

I guess what I'm really trying to say with all of this is that we're all family y'all.

[dexylloyd]

Hello! Here are some sketches and some of my headcanons!

Nationalities:

Lloyd: Japanese/Chinese/British

Wu, Garmadon and FSM: Japanese/Chinese

Misako: Japanese/British

Kai and Nya: Italian/Vietnamese

Jay: Irish/Korean

Cole: African-American/Indian

Zane: Not having a clear nationality this cutie can be how he wants but I mostly hc them as a person poc

Pixal: The same as Zane but I see her Dad Cyrus as south Korean

Skylor: Irish/American

Morro: Italian/American

Harumi: Japanese

Vania: Tibetan/Nepali

Benthomaar: As much as I love him I really don't have a specific hc for him, I think he would be from the same zones where lemon sharks are!

(the Italians ones are a bit of a meme, because I'm Italian and sometimes I joke about Italian stereotypes, for example: Kai favourite football team is the Neapolitan one lol)

Maybe in another post I will also do sexualities and genders but for this time I don't really have the energy :P

For the other hcs in the pictures:

I headcanon that the FSM putted some kind of mechanics in the humans to identify what is not human. But, well, he and his family are not really humans themselves! So plain mortals can't see their faces and also see some kind of halo on them, to symbolize their "divine" status (none of them knows about it tho).

But there are exceptions:

-Kids before puberty can see them clearly;

-People who have been in contact with supernatural/magical things for a really long time;

-And, the most rare, people who naturally can see them for all their life;

[punkeropercyjackson]

Imma try to chill so that instead of raging,i can just explain this politely:If you're in the Batfam fandom or are interested in joining,please be respectful of the Batkids' canon characterization and stories with exception of the offensive bits because that way,you will be able to fully appreciate and enjoy them as characters and get along with long time fans too as they'll appreciate you for it since Batfanon is so overwhelmingly popular and you'll be helping combat it

You want a ray of sunshine optimist who's actually realistic instead of a cornball and has depth and layers and is beloved by everyone in the DC world?Read for Dick but avoid Tom Taylor and Devin Grayson as their writing of him is extremely ableist,misogynistic(see Babs' character regression for his sake and the 'disposable black love interest' trope times 10x towards Kory)and anti-romani with Taylor being a whole ass zionist and Devin only made Dick romani to fetishize him and wrote canon Batcest and even other pedo ships.She has since apologized for the latter so Batcels can't use her as validation

You want a goth boyloser who's a lone wolf and has an awful relathionship with Bruce where both feelings are completely justified but he himself is morally gray and treated as such rather than coddled?Read for Jason but avoid og Rhato because it's a shitfest that screws over everybody involved including Jason himself and nobody who likes it cares about him at all since it's the worst thing to ever happen to him,INCLUDING The Joker.He was also textually miserable the whole time and is way happier with his new cast on top of being better written

You want a relatable teenage boy who's a positive role model for irl ones and is canonically into dudes and can be the token normie that reacts to the weirdness of his family for jokes?Read for Tim and please don't believe anyone who tries to tell you he's a bad person or a raging misogynist because they're the same niggas who stan Jason the ex-serial killer and Slade the pedophile who's child abuse even of the non-sexual kind is his defining character trait as stated by Marv Wolfman,who MADE him.He's literally just a 17 year old boy who's not perfect and people are just ageist and generally hateful.Everybody should care about Tim Drake /ref

You want a strong female character who's genuinely super weird and real and does justice for the girls that don't fit in and are abused by men but is also really funny and feminine?Read for Stephanie and don't buy into the bullshit propaganda DC keeps trying to keep selling since her debut that she's 'just a girl' or somehow less hardcore than the Batboys or ESPECIALLY the fandom's emphasization of her blondeness when she got it from her abusive dad and has never shown pride in it and was never an 'It Girl',she was the school outcast at ALL her schools,including college.Just because Stephanie Brown is a white girl that dosen't mean she's a white feminist or a prop or basic-She's literally a pastel punk who has a Metalica poster in her room ffs

You want a wasian with gender fuckery who was raised to be a weapon and had no parents until Bruce adopted her and became super human through crazy ass means and is a mega cool edgecase?Read for Cass and keep in mind she was created with the intention of defying easian woman stereotypes,including existing for white men and nothing else and that includes not forcing her to like Jason or steal her Shiva origin to give it to him and as an afro-dominicana,Jason feels more afro-dominican than he does anything else and we HAVE an asian Jason Variant but he was south asian,specifically indian and not easian/chinese so it's even more orientalist than before with Sanjay Tawde's canonicity in mind(He is from The Doom That Came To Gotham for anyone interested)

You want a brown boy raised by a bad organization he has complex ties to because his connection comes from his family who is very much a little shit and anger filled but also a sweetheart who's truly trying his best?Read for Damian but keep in mind he's a victim of anti-arab writers,he's not a demon or a villain or an animal-He's just a hurt little boy who's almost never known anything but pain and being seen as a monster compared to white boys and that's why so many Damian stans are so grateful for Flatline/Nika because she loves him as much as we do and gives him the TLC we wish we could(platonically in our case but still)

You want a troubled but good kid who has god-like superpowers and loves to run his mouth,gives Bruce's headaches with his shenanigans and is not only an unconventional Robin but Jason's Robin and vice versa?Read for Duke and don't even look in the general direction of runs that leave him out-Which do the other Batboys dirty too every time anyway!!Duke has refered to Bruce as his dad and Bruce has refered to Duke as his son and ALL the Batkids see him as their brother and the poor guy feels left out of them because DC are a bunch of antiblack pieces of shit who baited us with the first ever black Robin just to exclude him for his blackness and act like they were being 'careful'.Nah,FUCK that-If Cass can be respectfully written as Bruce's kid,so can Duke!He don't got parents either,the ogs got Jokerized and Gnomom is emotionally abusive and he's literally a minor!

And they're just the core Batkids!!!If you're looking for another type of character,then they definitely exist and i'd be happy to tell you who fits it so i can tell you what to read/watch/play for them!Trying to switch the Batkids CAN be good depending on how you do it but 99% of the time it's just bigotry!REAL bigotry minorities can't stop dealing with just by logging off and fandom is supposed to be a safe space for weirdos-Not 'nerds',WEIRDOS.Black people and woc and mentally ill people and autistics and abusive survivors and EVERYONE,not just stupid ass kinksters that think kink is inherently anti-establishment and white people who had 'hateful ideology phases' and think it's universal and play victim when told otherwise

'All Batboys are trans and autistic!'but then they leave out the most autistic-coded and tboy swag filled Batboy just because he's black and use the 'mains' excuse when they've never read enough comics to know that became a thing,that it wasn't always a thing and that it dosen't make SENSE for it to be a thing.'All Batkids are/do [x]' but they leave out the girls even though 'Batkids' is the gender neutral term as it's meant to refer to the whole gang.Do not fall for it.They're about as gooth faith as 'Allmighty God Superman who fucks all the women' dudebros.Please be kind and be a real superhero fan by reading the comics so you can join us in dunking on them.Please,you'll be doing the comics fandom a lot of good and you might even help influence the comics industry itself because it responds to mass fan appeal way far back and that's how we got a fair amount of runs and adaptions we do today and yesterday and tommorow.I promise it'll be infinitely more fun than fanon too

[krsnaradhika]

What do you think is the best quality of Indian Muslims? Do you think they are better?

I have had quite a few family friends who practice Islam, a few classmates and friends too. I'll be honest, I'm not very social— almost aloof at times because I believe starting a convo with someone you have not spoken to ever = annoying them. Even when we are talking, the discussion never gets political. It remains between casual family stuff and academics. So yeah, I'm not entirely sure what could be the best quality of an entire community because every single person is built different?

I think many of them have done significant contributions in the fields of Indian classical music, science, history, politics and all like literally every religion? There are many soldiers belonging to the Muslim community fighting for us on the borders so they deserve our deference and gratitude? I think in general they are very normal people? Common folks like you and me? See, as long as a person isn't prejudicial on the basis of another one's caste/ creed/ religion/ gender/ sexuality/ nationality/ literally anything that isn't in their control, doesn't impose their own beliefs, is not disrespectful and does not monger baseless hate for anyone, they're a good one. Our homies.

Better than whom, tho? Like- from Muslims of other countries or people of other communities? Again, can you stereotype? There are good and bad people in every faith. Saudi Arabia is an ally, so are many other Islamic states. Everyone is chill, anon, there are just a few pseudo-liberals with free net and no job here on Tumblr who like to project hindublr blogs as Islamophobic and casteist. I have problems with people who think all the secular logic only applies in the favor of minorites in India, Hindus live in an utopian world while launching hell on others and have been 100% unscathed since the beginning of time. As if our ancestors haven't suffered enough and crimes aren't happening against us still, to this date. You chant 'Jai Shri Ram' and you're a saffron terrorist. Please touch some grass y'all. Lol.

[phuljari]

incoming rant: the robotification of women

teri baaton mein aisa uljha jiya (2024) is among the latest movies in the genre of science fiction romance. it reminded me of an old itv show bahu hamari rajnikant (2016) , while i wasn't an avid watcher of the latter, i knew of it's existence. why did it remind of that particular sitcom? well, mainly because of the comedy. but it also reminded me of similar themes in english movies like ex machina (2015), wifelike (2022), archive (2020) and her (2013), which is surely a bit far fetched considering that in her, the ai never had a body. only a voice.

here, i think it's impertinent to also acknowledge male robots in indian cinema, like chitti from robot/enthiran (2010) and g.one from ra.one (2011) even though he wasn't an actual robot? i don't know if he classifies as one. so let's say, non-human, programming-based male entity (nhpbme). similar to samantha in her, a non-human, programming-based female entity (nhpbfe).

so yes, while male robots and nhpbme do exist in the sci-fi romance genre, it's the comparatively larger robotification of women that feeds the male gaze, and the patriarchy by an extention— which is ultimately problematic.

coming to the movie that i actually want to discuss, kriti sanon's sifra, in tbmauj, is the perfect lover, perfect bahu. why? she knows everything aaru (shahid kapoor) likes and wants. she has no chik-chik or tantrums like other girls. she can make cuisines from all around the world, can access everything on the internet quickly. she has perfect skin, perfect hair. probably doesn't age too. she is the dream girl of a typical man. she doesn't have her own opinions or problems, she serves him and him alone. no family of hers to care about, she can care about his family and their needs. the female gendering here acts like objectification.

the worst part of this movie was that it didn't do anything? since it was a comedy, it didn't delve deeper into the nuances of increasing technological reliance that humans have. i think it was probably meant as a warning— when sifra malfunctions and starts executing tasks that were deleted. but even at that, it fails because urmila's (dimple kapadia) company (so intelligently named) e-robots/robotex (something stupid like that), ends up launching her along with few other robots. only adds a dialogue which meant that you need to handle these robots responsibly. then, what was the point of all the testing they tried to do? placing her in different environments like india, when they don't really end up rethinking the whole idea or putting in more safety features? of course, there's no deeper meaning here. indian comedies don't really have subtext.

but it's perpetuates the same old concept of subservient women. rule-followers and caregivers. an image etched in stone. why do women ask– what do men want? men want this, an ideal version. have always wanted. fuelled by the unrealistic p*rn depictions. do they ever think what women want? aaru so casually tells off his friend who has a wife to look at how pathetic his own life is. he defends sifra's un-emotional response to a situation by attacking his friend's relationship asking if human women are any better?

it reminded me of wifelike (2022) where female robots are curated according to a person's need, a replication of their dead spouse. to love them, to serve them, to help them come out of grief. it's so funny to me how in tbmauj, sifra is shown to retain her feelings, getting jealous when aaru interacts with another woman despite getting reprogrammed; compared to how in wifelike, the robotic version of the human it was based on, always ended up leaving the husband because the human version never loved him.

isn't it interesting how female robots instantly get sexualised, and are depicted doing things that one would never ask their girlfriend or wife to do? these robots happily perform roles that are stereotypically feminine, wife-like. they're invented to put aside their feelings (if they have them) to take care of their human partners'. sifra cooks perfect food, emphasized by how many time aaru fired his maid for not cooking things the way he likes it. she probably doesn't have mood swings from periods because she's a robot. she doesn't eat, doesn't get out of shape. and most importantly, she doesn't age (cue: i'll get old but your lovers stay my age). as if the expectations from women aren't enough, that they're required to age gracefully, or best option— not age at all.

if you still don't get it, let me remind you how siri and alexa also end up on the same side of gender spectrum— female.

so the message is, guys, don't give up on your dream girl! you'll surely find a robot that satisfies all your needs! 🙄

men want perfect women, but women can't be robots. let's stop perpetuating the same image and setting unrealistic standards. real humans have real problems, deal with them.

[dustymagpie]

Wembley

Name: Wembley. This is not their birth name. As they experimented with their gender expression, they changed their name to fit how they were choosing to express themselves. He has used quite a few different ones over the years and eventually stuck with his current one. He doesn't use his family name to remain "mysterious" (or so he says). Born: 21st January 2050, 27 as of 2077 Nationality: American of very mixed descent, the most prominent being Irish and Indian, but the family is from all over. Pronouns: They/them or he/him, but any is tolerable.  Sexuality: They've never given it much thought, bi or pan would fit them.  Gender: It's complicated. AFAB and spent their youth and teen years trying out different ways to express their gender. They never found anything that felt like it really fit them. By their late teens they stopped being so bothered by it, these days they'll just give a shrug of their shoulders when asked.  Parents: Divorced but still very good friends. Mother lives in Night City and manages an art gallery. Father lives on the East Coast and is a graphic designer. They all try to meet up a few times a year at least. Both are artistic (and do not have names because I suck at names!) Siblings: One younger sister, Sera.  Romantic partner: They have never bothered putting a label on it, but they have been with Scott Dodd since their late teens. It's very much an open relationship, allowing them to both sleep with other people. But he is the only one Wembley calls home.  Friends: cliché, but he thinks of Sera as his best friend. He is also close with Richard Ripper. Richard started as a client, then a fuck buddy, then after an incident, they became actual friends (who still fuck on occasion). Hobbies: Like the rest of his family, they are an artist. Their preferred medium is mixed media and things that are more three-dimensional in nature.  Job: Hairdresser. They do your usual cut and blow dries (and if they like you maybe even a cut and blowjob) and they also do artistic pieces with hair for magazines and the catwalk.  Notable features: A near permanent pout and a prominent nose. His cybernetic hand has a practical use with his job, housing the finer tools needed for cutting hair. It originally had a very fancy and fine outer cover to it, but it made it awkward to utilise the tool aspect of it, often getting caught, so he removed it. It’s still at home somewhere. No body hair, they hate it. They got it permanently removed some years ago (they like it on others though). Personality: They play into the bitchy hairdresser stereotype, and it is only partially faked, they are a bit of a bitch. A generally quiet person when they are comfortable, they tend to be loud and show off-y when they are feeling nervous. They enjoy sex with multiple people at the same time, often attending sex parties. The more, the merrier in their book! Tattoos: his body is covered in blackout style tattoos (90% done by Scott) including a little heart in his face (that matches Sera's).  Style: Smart and simple, often accentuated by a loud pattern or colour. Typically, at the forefront of what's currently in. That could be anything from pants to skirts and dresses, they will wear whatever they look good in and wear it with confidence. Still often seen in custom pieces made by their sister.

[florelia12]

well flora is the magix version of latina, so saying she might not be is a bit inaccurate. especially because she was based on someone with latin ethnicity.

and the design choices are interesting to me because it's clear that planets in magix don't follow a certain pattern. in melody musa is based on a chinese actress and so is her family, but the princess of melody looks german. same with flora and her lynphean people or stella compared to chimera.

but for helia, I don't believe you should get that defensive. I think the specialists are up for interpretation. helia isn't based on anyone in particular and I also read on his page that he was supposed to be a female character too. with the way he was designed, that's pretty much obvious.

it's like when people hc him as gay or transgender based on his looks, but that does not mean asian people look that way or are like that. it's just that he's a fun character to play with that isn't suited to a single stereotype.

helia is very much bishounen or androgynous, whatever you wanna call it. I notice his design is similar to female characters from winx rather than looking like brandon, sky or timmy. same goes with riven's eyes for example.

I'd say riven is the equivalent of a korean man, especially with the colored hair.

going back to the differences between the winx and people from their planets, I think the winx and specialist designs were just made exclusively to be immersive and present different cultures. it's also why I hate that they killed nabu when he was representing indian and south asians very well, then aisha had to choose between two white guys. they're white right?

so if I had to describe helia according to irl traits, he looks half caucasian half asian (like japanese) to me, especially because saladin is a white old man. although at first I didn't even think he was more asian until people mentioned it, then I changed my perspective. the drawing style is also a bit inconsistent with the body built and height, but helia looks like he could be very tall.

I agree with you that he could be the tallest because he just gives the vibe. around 1.84 and 1.85 suits him a lot.

but still, helia is the specialist people have the most fun with, just because he's not just supposed to fit one appearance.

Hi

Despite the diversity in the main characters, the show itself has its moments. It is not perfect and free of making mistakes such as the princess of the realms of Flora/Musa looking different. 

We have to take into account that these are entire planets they are talking about. We have the unique genetics and features we do because our bodies adapted to the regions they were inhabiting. So even these realms could have countries and colder or hotter regions. But of course, it’s mostly obvious when it is whitewashing that is happening and not world-building that is being done here.

I apologise if I came off as making it seem as though my statement was that Helia is Asian and every other perception of him is wrong. But I do think it is rather problematic when some refuse to see his Asian coding because most of the time, there is underlying prejudice or ignorance. I would have not snapped the way I did if I thought they were coming from a good place. I don’t believe they were.

To say that it is obvious Helia was meant to be a female character would be unfair imo. Also to say “when people hc him as gay or transgender based on his looks its not to say asian people look that way or are like that” is not entirely true. 

When it comes to assigning or discussing races, gender and sexualities or even religions of a character, there needs to be an understanding there there are intersections here. 

Firstly, when it comes to the opinion that Helia was meant to be a female character, there are quite a bit inconcistencies. To start with, I don’t see the point in them wanting to either introduce another female character (they did that with Aisha) or change the gender to “give Flora a boyfriend”. Helia was introduced to be Flora’s boyfriend, there is no doubt in that. So for that, considering this was early 90s and 2000s and a kids cartoon, it was always meant to be a guy they wanted to introduce in season 2. Changing the gender would imply that Helia as a character (regardless of his gender) was meant to serve a plot point or at least be relevant outside of being Flora’s partner before they decided to make him her partner. Did Helia have that? No. We saw next to nothing of his interactions with the other Specialists or Winx or any other character. Almost every time we see Helia, it was to further his development with Flora.

Secondly, it is the reasons why they say Helia was meant to be a female character that I wouldn’t entirely agree with either. For example, his hair. Avalon, Valtor, Tritannus, Nereus and a lot of extras have long hair too. It’s not something unique to their depictions of asian-coded characters or considered female characteristics in the Winx world. Another one would be his name, which has feminine and Greek origins. Maybe that could be a reason, but then there would be the meaning behind the name which is sun. Then following the Winx naming conventions (“Flora” for a flower fairy, “Musa” for a Music Fairy, Tecna and etc) it could imply that he was supposed to be a sun fairy or have sun magic. But then Helia as a character doesn’t really give me ‘sunny’ vibes. Funnily enough, I like to think of it as a contradiction to his character. 

Though one point I haven’t seen around is that Helia could have also been added for diversity. Aisha was admittedly added for diversity, but at least the main Winx already had 2 other poc characters. The Specialists had none that were explicitly said to be poc. So it makes more sense to me that they would add him as an Asian or poc character rather than change the gender of a character that doesn’t truly serve the plot. Then again, I don’t think they cared that much because even if it was to include diversity, they still fell into stereotypes about Asian men.

This brings us to his “androgynous” features and the intersectionality I was talking about earlier. Because it all comes back to stereotypes we have to be extremely mindful of when it comes to perceiving or interpreting characters.

Poc and specifically Asian men have a history of being stereotyped as “feminine” for their appearances and personality by white people. It could stem from wanting to put them down or to emasculate them and a sexist way to do that is compare them to the “weaker gender” aka females. Even the pacifist hcs can be harmful because “feminine men” are considered weak or emasculine for not being aggressive or wanting to fight. So it is not the same as changing up Sky’s gender or sexuality ( I say this as he is a character who with blonde hair and blue eyes that’s mostly associated with white people) because he has longer hair than what would normally be considered masculine. Outside of that, to immediately also go since Helia has long hair and “feminine” features he can’t be masculine or was meant to be a girl has its issues because you’re feeding into the stereotype that guys have to look a certain way to be accepted as a male. 

Helia is absolutely a fun character to work with but not because he is entirely a blank canvas. He has certain characteristics that when changed, twisted or ignored can cause more harm than good. Helia having close to no development or backstory are some of the things that make him the fun character to play with. 

In the end there is nothing inherently wrong in perceiving him as androgynous or ‘feminine’ but you always have to ask yourself why you see him that way and why not the other Specialists. Because if you want to go along with stereotypes, Timmy is almost always seen as white and with a leaner body type in his civilian clothes, is considered meek, and sometimes emasculine. But we avoid it because it is harmful to consider men who aren’t super macho or bulky as weak or feminine. Yet we don’t hold that same reservation with poc or poc-coded characters. 

But then to also make Helia make super violent without reason could be harmful because poc men are at more risk for being assumed to be dangerous.

So yes it is a grey area, but it’s also not too complicated once you ask yourself why. Just one small question can help you differentiate amongst the intentions behind wanting to assign certain races, genders or sexualities to specific characters. Once you do, you can always tell when it comes from a place of experience and knowledge (such as a trans person seeing Helia as trans compared to a cis or white person doing it) or ignorance. Because informed takes on Helia’s gender or expression or sexuality are often quite interesting. I love seeing non-binary Helia and I also see him as bi. 

At one point, I too explored Helia being half-white and half-asian. But, I also wouldn’t say Saladin is definitely an old white man. I think his design is also ambigious as there was one scene of him where they showed the company of light in their younger days and he looked very similar to Helia. 

I do see Riven as Asian too, I think there is a lot to explore with that. And, yes definitely killing off Nabu then attempting to replace him with supposedly white guys is harmful. Though Nex could be Latino if he’s from Linphea since he studied in Linphea College but Thoren from Eraklyon is also there so they both could come from other realms or Thoren could be mixed since he is Sky’s cousin. So yeah, there’s a lot to explore and everyone is free to do it. Just be mindful and don’t be careless with how you describe races, genders or sexualities.

I used to think about his body built too as he looks leaner in his normal clothes. But I would assume the Specialists uniform would have the necessary paddings in certain ares for protection that gives him the built he has when he is in uniform. 

[loganm233]

Roundtable Presentation: Ms. Marvel

How do structural mythology, cultural studies, and cultural history reflect the series’ world and world-building around superheroes? 

In the series Ms. Marvel, Kamala is a high school girl who one day acquires energy-based powers. The source of her powers comes from a bangle inherited from her grandmother who disappeared during the Partition of India. This bangle Kamala discovers in a box of her grandmother's belongings is later known to be a quantum band, that before this was only known to be heard of in myths and legends. This historical and mythological premise of the show dictates the origin of Kamala's powers and her path of discovery and growth as she develops and better understands her powers.

Additionally, Ms. Marvel incorporates cultural morals and identities into the superhero genre. Ms. Marvel allows for the depiction of South Asian cultures on screen which is pivotal as it is something that hasn't been seen as much previously, especially in superhero shows and movies. The series unapologetically showcases Kamala's Pakistani culture in a way that is intertwined with her life, family, community, relationships, and powers. This depiction allows viewers to broaden their understanding of what a superhero can look like. Furthermore, it showcases that one's culture doesn't need to be separated from other important aspects of their life, but rather greatly influences it.

In what ways are the superheroes and their abilities informed by their racial, gender, sexual, and cultural identities? 

Kamala idolizes Captain Marvel who fits the stereotypical American beauty standards of being a tall, white, blond, blue-eyed woman. Kamala on the other hand is shorter, younger, sturdier, and has brown eyes and skin. While their power gap primarily arises due to experience it is also important to consider these differences when exploring how they are portrayed and respected by their communities. Kamala dreams of being just like Captain Marvel, but as the show continues she learns to embrace the identities that individualize her while in action. Furthermore, Kamala’s costume design is greatly influenced by her cultural background and she uses traditional Indian jewelry to help control her powers. While she designs her costume through inspiration from Captain Marvel’s look, Kamala incorporates things from her background and identity to help personalize her costume. It is greatly modeled after traditional Indian attire and incorporates modestly following Islamic values and Haram. Kamala’s costume being able to be an outlet for self-expression acknowledges her identity while still being a powerful hero.

In what ways do costumes and concealing identities further separate the superheroes from normal society? How necessary is it for the superheroes to hide their true identities to successfully achieve their goals? 

In general, costumes are helpful to protect themselves and their families. Additionally, since costumes conceal their identities it makes it so that others have no understanding of who they are. This makes it so the actual individual gets no recognition for the good, or bad, things that they do as it is only associated with their alter ego. In Ms. Marvel, even though Ms. Marvel becomes the talk of the town and receives a lot of attention, Kamala receives no clout for her heroic deeds. On the contrary, however, it does allow her to get away with doing things that she would otherwise get in trouble with as a teenager with protective parents. Despite this, Kamala’s costume allows for individuality which in turn doesn’t conceal her identity as well as many other superhero costumes do. In fact, in the show, her close friends and family eventually discover her true identity later even after she initially attempts to hide it from them.

How do the economic, political, and social events that occurred during the series’ creation and broadcast cultivate and inform the superheroes’ decisions and actions? 

Kamala is highly influenced by her family and community in which both parties provide protection. As a Muslim superhero, Ms. Marvel receives backlash from a government agency that is portrayed as being Islamophobic and tries to identify her. This informs her decisions and actions as she has to protect herself from the challenges of being unfairly treated and villainized due to her religion and skin tone. 

How do the superheroes question themselves, each other, and their obligations and duties to the people around them? 

In the series, Kamala always compares herself with Captain Marvel who she idolizes and sees as perfect. Thus, when Kamala thinks of herself, she overanalyzes her own imperfections. When Kamala discovers her powers, she works towards perfecting her powers as she considers it her duty to use them for good. Additionally, Kamala wants to honor her family and community while using her powers responsibly. She has a desire to fulfill her destiny of becoming a great superhero, but this often goes against her parents' desires to keep her safe and not expose her to the evils of the world. This leads to tension between her shared responsibilities of protecting others while still trying to protect herself to fulfill her obligations of being a good superhero and a good daughter.

@theuncannyprofessoro

[torinighthawk]

Harry Potter Head-canons (1/?)

First off let me just say that I have always and will always adore the actors and actresses who portrayed all our favorite and not so favorite characters, and the crew and directors who brought Harry Potter to life. They made magic real and their contributions can never be understated.

This is not about them though. It’s hard to remember but the Harry Potter films were made in a time before the current push for more and more representation, that’s not an excuse, just the facts (with the one exception that will be brought up, obvs). And the same is true for the books, though that is a whole can of worms I do not feel like getting into in this very positive post.

Representation matters. When POC voices say they need representation, listen. When we change media to suit that need, it’s not a dig at what came before.

That being said, I dropped out of the fandom a few years ago, and after heavy reflection I’m back, but on my terms this time, no one else’s, canon or not.

My Hermione Granger is biracial (like me). Her father, Robert, is a strong Black father from a strong Black Family with deep ties to their heritage and culture, and a drive for excellence in all things done. Her mother, who’s name varies from fic to fic tbh, is biracial too. She grew up in a very different but still loving family from her husband, with a Black mom who immersed her in Black culture and an Irish father who taught her how to fight for what she wanted, no matter what others had to say about it. Hermione grew up in a secure and happy home with parents and grandparents who gave her culture and valued and fostered her intelligence, and made sure she had a stiff upper lip to make it through other people’s bs opinion of her. She might falter, but she never breaks. Also, she really has a thing for older guys (Ron is the only exception and a total fluke).

My Harry Potter has heavy Welsh and Desi roots from James’ side of the family. Unfortunately, thanks to Petunia and Vernon he is constantly put down for both of these things and grows up without the rich culture his father had been born into and hoped to pass on to his son. The amount of Desi blood Harry has depends on the fic. The big one I’m currently working on has his father’s, father’s mother being full Indian. James’ father was adopted but his maternal aunt was still a huge part of his life and worked hand in hand with his adoptive parents to give him a life filled with his mother’s culture, which he passed on to James. Oh and he’s bisexual, it’s just that Cedric was the only guy in school that he really lusted after and we all know how that ended up. He and Ginny (who is also bi) love to occasionally rate celebrities and random strangers both male and female, its kinda adorable.

My Lavender Brown is Black. My one true bone to pick with the movies, is the one I think we all in the know have, with Lavender being Black until she became a main love interest for Ron and then was recast to a white actress (maybe it was incidental, maybe it wasn’t, doesn’t matter my brain fixed it). Lavender had two loving Black parents (I’m done with the broken home stereotype for Black parents can you tell?). After her failure dating Ron she finally came out of the closet as a lesbian and started dating Parvati. In most of my fics, Lavender survives (usually as a werewolf) and Parvati sticks with her and the two live happily ever after.

My Ginny Weasley (as stated above) is bisexual. She and Luna definitely had a thing going throughout their school time together and Luna was really there for Ginny in the last year of the war with Harry and the gang gone and all the stress. My Ginny is also a non-binary demigirl [she/they], not a tomboy, who starts to really explore her gender after the war is out of the way. Harry is a super supportive boyfriend/husband and he helps her through her gender diaspora during their pregnancy with some their children (which never gets easier so they switch to surrogacy).

My Ron Weasley really has a thing for POC women, he is completely incurable (thank merlin). Whoever he ends up with (in my head its not always Hermione) they are 10 times out of 10 going to be POC in some way. And he really immerses himself in whatever culture he has to to ensure his children grow up in their mother’s culture, no matter what they come out looking like.

My Remus Lupin is/was pansexual and was in love with Sirius most of his life. Part of his guilt and reluctance with Tonks is because of Sirius. I have very strong feelings about his werewolf nature (and werewolf demonization in general), but I’ll leave that to another post. I do still have Sirius die in most fics, but I believe there are worlds where these two make it every time and get to have some freaking peace and quiet together.

My Sirius Black is aro-ace and has only ever thought about Remus as a partner in those categories. Because he is emotionally stunted, he has no idea how to handle it and needs help to get a relationship started.

My Ted Tonks is Black or at least mixed race, and the only thing the Black Family hate about him is that he is muggleborn. Wizards do not care about colorism they way we muggles do, nor do they really care about sexuality and gender (Pure-blood families only care that their children procreate with other untainted people), they legitimately couldn’t care less. Totally headcanon that this has always been a point in contention of why Pure-blood Families see themselves as morally superior to muggles while missing the point of the other serious societal problems they have.

My Nymphadora Tonks is as genderfluid as her metamorphic abilities and pansexual. She never really had to think to hard about it and was pretty much born out of the closet. It helps really spice up her love life, especially her relationship with Remus. She’s aware of the Sirius thing and tries to help Remus through his grief and doesn’t really push him even though she’s hopelessly in love with him.

My Severus Snape is somewhere on the aro-ace spectrum, he doesn’t think about it much. I do love letting him live to have an actually redemption arc where he finally breaks the cycle of abuse.

My Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan are gay and in love. It took Dean longer to get there but Seamus is stupidly happy when he does. The two go on to raise an adorable little family.

My Theodore Nott is demisexual and not evil. He got out from under his father’s influence to great risk to himself and later became an Auror. He and Harry are good friends. He has a massive crush on Harry. Also, he dated Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini at some point in his life.

My Blaise Zabini is gay. Very gay. Need I say more?

My Mrs. Zabini isn’t a serial murderess, she was cursed to love again and again and for all those she married to die horrible deaths. She has tried to go celibate but part of the curse is that she cannot. Blaise and Theodore Nott go on a side quest at some point to help break her curse, probably.

My Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy are both bisexual and occasionally enjoy the company of others in their bed. They’ve both probably propositioned Snape at some point. Draco, thank merlin, never finds out about any of this and goes his whole life blissfully ignorant of his parents wild secret lives.

My Draco Malfoy is on the aro-ace spectrum and finds certain people aesthetically pleasing but very rarely has any romantic or sexual feelings for them. He does however, like a good number of people do, have a crush on Harry at various points in his life. He’s emotionally stunted though so he acts like a child about it.

There’s more but I’ll leave it at that. If you want more info about the big fic I’m currently working on let me know. I may never actually write more than one-shots inside the world I built for it so it will be nice to get some stuff out for people to see. As for Next Gen headcanons I reserve those on a fic by fic, world by world basis so if there is a separate post for them it would be fic specific and not set in complete stone. I love to use my Next Gen characters to suit my needs for storytelling.

Bye.

[weepli]

Chak De and SRK

(A couple of months ago, for the 15th anniversary of Chak De, I wrote this article for a publication. It was commissioned, edited and published, but it was taken down the same day. The editor told me it was “technical glitch” but now, it’s been 2.5 months and the glitch hasn’t been sorted. In the meantime, I’ve heard of other writers’ work being taken down from that site if it spoke about minority oppression.). 

When I first watched Chak De! India 15 years ago, one of the things that instinctively bothered me, though I was too young to articulate it then, was that when Kabir Khan and his mother leave their home, amidst the accusation of being a ‘gaddar’, no neighbour or friend is standing up for them. Is there no one in their mohalla who they were friends with, I wondered? Wouldn’t someone miss them? And wouldn’t they silently, if not publicly, ask the others to be more kind? 

Fifteen years later, I know the answer. They wouldn’t. We wouldn’t. 

As I sit down to write this, the news coming in from everywhere is proof that nothing much has changed in the last 15 years. Things only seem to have become worse. I read on Twitter that the Indian Women’s hockey team has lost the Commonwealth Games Semi-Finals to Australia 3-0 in a penalty shootout. Fifteen years on, Indian women’s hockey is notoriously neglected. Gender discrimination is rampant. And, of course, Muslims are still perceived as enemies of the state. 

No one knows this better than Shah Rukh Khan. 

Chak De! India was a story of the quintessential underdog triumph. It wasn’t just the triumph of a women’s team over the dismal conditions and mentality of families, media, and fans. It was as much (if not more) the triumph of their Muslim coach in his attempt to prove his patriotism. 

Chak De has achieved cult status in the country. There are still memes referencing 70 minutes of crucial and intense time. The title song became a national sports anthem, and the dialogues are a part of everyday life. The brawl scene in Mcdonald's became an example of implicit brand placements, mentioned in B-schools and quizzes. “Ja Dikha de apne launde ko” was a mantra of female solidarity. There’s a lot to celebrate about Chak De and the impact it has had on our pop culture over the decade and a half. A sports film par excellence, it doesn’t lose its thrill even with multiple rewatchings. And, of course, Shah Rukh is gorgeous. 

It also marks one of the first times he truly embraced his Muslim identity on screen. (Sure, he played a Muslim in Hey Ram, but that never captured people’s imagination the way Chak De did). In Chak de, the Muslim identity is a crucial part of the plot, and it is emphasized with the references to his name, his betrayal, and his religious/inspirational chants. SRK goes on to play the Muslim protagonist in multiple films after this — My Name is Khan, Dear Zindagi, Raees, and the upcoming Pathan. 

In 2017, journalist Rana Ayub said about SRK in an article on NDTV, “In a country where it is rare to find a Muslim or a Christian character as the lead in films, with minorities usually reduced to caricatures and stereotypes, the fact that the biggest star plays a Muslim in three simultaneous films (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Dear Zindagi, Raees) is a strong message to a country, a rebellion that needs to be noticed and lauded.” 

This week, we have another movie releasing by two superstars: one a Muslim man, one married to a Muslim man, with children named after rulers who happen to be Muslim- Taimur and Jehangir. Calls to boycott the movie grow louder, the posters and WhatsApp messages about the same more and more disgusting. Aamir Khan has declared that he loves India. Of course, we need to wear our patriotism on our sleeves. Whether it is with a birth certificate or with the shouting of slogans, with the display of the National Flag or standing up in the movie hall when the anthem is played, we are all being asked to prove our patriotism again and again and again. No one more than Muslims in India. 

If you are a privileged Muslim actor in India, you can continue making movies worth 100 crores that will face threats of boycott, and maybe your family members will end up in jail for months on flimsy charges. For a regular ordinary Muslim person, you might get lynched if you are suspected of eating a certain kind of meat. 

In the final scenes of Chak De! India, the team overcomes all kinds of external and internal challenges to defeat the favourites, Australia, and win the tournament. Yet, it is not just the journey of the women who have faced gender stereotypes, family pressure, anger issues, and race and language discrimination. It is as much a journey of their Muslim coach, who will finally make it back ‘home’ where he was labeled a traitor and forced to leave. It is a grim picture that Chak De presents. That nothing will ever be enough to get the kind of acceptance and belonging all citizens of this country should feel. Maybe if you do something as grand as winning a world cup, you might be spared for a few days. 

Maybe. 

[movieholicaarav]

Characters of 'F.I.R': A Comprehensive Analysis of their Evolution and Impact

The Indian television sitcom 'F.I.R.' garnered widespread acclaim for its humor and innovative storytelling. A critical aspect of the show's success is its dynamic ensemble of unforgettable characters, whose individual evolution contributed to the show's distinct charm. In this article, we'll delve into a comprehensive analysis of the main characters in 'F.I.R.' and discuss how their evolution and impact have shaped the show's legacy.

Inspector Chandramukhi Chautala: Breaking Stereotypes Inspector Chandramukhi Chautala, the protagonist of the show, emerged as a game-changing female character for Indian television. Played brilliantly by Kavita Kaushik, Chautala's fearless persona, confidence, and dogged perseverance demonstrated to audiences that a female character could excel as both the lead and a comedic force. Throughout the show's nine-year run, Chautala's character developed emotional depth, displayed ingenuity and wit in solving cases, and challenged audience expectations of gender roles and norms.

Inspector Gulgule: Portraying Innocence and Sincerity Gulgule, portrayed by Kiku Sharda, is a character that stood out due to his combination of innocence, sincerity, and comical clumsiness. Despite being a higher-ranking officer, Gulgule was in awe of Chautala's skills as a crime solver and investigator, often seeking her guidance in handling tricky cases. Through his character evolution, Gulgule accentuated the importance of loyalty and dedication to duty, while still providing laughter-inducing moments for the audience to enjoy.

Constable Mulayam Singh Gulgule: An Emblem of Loyalty The character of Constable Mulayam Singh Gulgule, enacted by Suresh Chatwal, was an iconic, integral part of the Imaan Chowki family. As a seasoned officer who navigated the ins and outs of the police department, Singh brought a sense of loyalty and camaraderie to the team. His rapport with Inspector Chautala and others evolved over the show's run, forming a close-knit working relationship that demonstrated the importance of unity and teamwork for achieving common goals.

Constable Billu: The Lovable, Resourceful Rookie The evolution of Constable Billu – played by Sandeep Anand – traced his journey from an inexperienced rookie cop to a resourceful, street-smart, and loyal member of the team. Often the target of his senior officers' banter, Billu displayed resilience and adaptability to eventually gain their respect and admiration. Billu's story arc showcased the potential for growth and self-improvement, despite initially being ill-equipped to handle life as a police officer.

Supporting Characters: Enriching Imaan Chowki's World Various supporting characters enriched the world of Imaan Chowki and contributed to the comedic essence of the show. From visiting FBI agents to undercover spies and eccentric citizens seeking police assistance, these characters brought a colorful and diverse array of perspectives and experiences to the show. These individuals highlighted various societal issues and cultural idiosyncrasies in a humorous yet thought-provoking manner.

The Impact of 'F.I.R.': A Benchmark for Indian Television The characters and their evolution in 'F.I.R.' stand as a testimony to the powerful impact that well-developed, endearing personas can have on a show's overall success. They created an engaging blend of humor and substance through their combined quirks, fears, aspirations, and best qualities, resulting in a show that appealed to a broad range of audiences. Their evolution invited viewers to be a part of their journey, tapping into the hearts and minds of people who could genuinely relate to their experiences.

Conclusion 'F.I.R.' remains a popular favorite in the world of Indian television comedy, thanks in no small part to its strongly developed and distinct characters. The evolution of each protagonist and their relationships with one another laid the foundation for the show's legendary success. As Indian television continues to evolve, 'F.I.R.' will always be remembered for the indelible mark made by its colorful cast of unforgettable characters.

[shuvodipray]

Title: Unveiling the Ethereal Journey of "Made in Heaven": A Romantic Masterpiece

Introduction:

Made in Heaven is a critically acclaimed Indian web series created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti. Released on Amazon Prime Video in early 2019, this masterpiece takes viewers on an enthralling rollercoaster of emotions, intertwined with the grandeur and societal complexities of Indian weddings. With its exceptional storytelling, well-drawn characters, and exquisite attention to detail, Made in Heaven offers a captivating experience that is both thought-provoking and heartwarming.

1) Plot:

The story follows the lives of Tara Khanna (played by Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan Mehra (played by Arjun Mathur), who are partners in a wedding planning company named "Made in Heaven." Through their professional journey, they delve into the secrets and lies behind the extravagant weddings they are hired to organize. While battling their own personal challenges, Tara and Karan strive to find success, happiness, and love amidst the complexities of modern-day society.

2) Themes:

a) Social Hierarchy: Made in Heaven boldly addresses social hierarchies prevalent in Indian society. It explores the societal prejudices faced by characters belonging to different classes, religions, sexual orientations, and gender identities. The show highlights the disparities that exist even within seemingly affluent families and the constant struggle for societal acceptance.

b) Gender Equality: The series brings forth various facets of gender discrimination, offering nuanced perspectives on patriarchy, the objectification of women, and the strength of female characters. It portrays women breaking stereotypes and fighting for their rights, challenging the shackles of a deeply rooted patriarchal system.

c) LGBTQ+ Representation: Made in Heaven brilliantly represents the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community in a conservative society. It delves into their battles for acceptance, highlighting the emotional turmoil and the desire to live authentically.

3) Character Development:

Made in Heaven boasts a diverse ensemble cast, each character bringing depth and complexity to the story. Alongside Tara and Karan, pivotal characters include Adil Khanna (played by Jim Sarbh), a wealthy businessman, Faiza Naqvi (played by Kalki Koechlin), a closeted homosexual, and Jazz (played by Shivani Raghuvanshi), a determined wedding planner.

The series intricately weaves the characters' personal journeys with the weddings they organize. We witness their transformation, growth, and the delicate intricacies of their relationships, making us empathize and connect with them on a profound level.

4) Visual Brilliance:

From the opulent settings of lavish Indian weddings to the contrasting realities of the characters' lives, Made in Heaven astounds with its visual brilliance. The attention to detail, vibrant color palettes, and picturesque cinematography add an extra layer of allure to the series. The camera work provides a sense of intimacy, allowing the viewers to immerse themselves in the plot.

5) Impact and Critical Reception:

Made in Heaven has received widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Its seamless blend of poignant social commentary with a heartwarming love story has resonated with viewers across the globe. The show's ability to confront taboos and raise thought-provoking questions about love, marriage, and societal norms has solidified its position as a cultural phenomenon.

6) Conclusion:

Made in Heaven stands as an unforgettable romantic story, intertwined with complex societal issues. Its exceptional storytelling, well-defined characters, and breathtaking cinematography make it a must-watch for all lovers of high-quality drama. The series boldly addresses social hierarchies, gender discrimination, and LGBTQ+ representation in a riveting manner, offering an immersive and emotionally charged viewing experience.

With its impact on popular culture and the ever-growing demand for diverse narratives, Made in Heaven has unequivocally earned its place as a masterpiece that transcends boundaries, both geographically and emotionally.

[bubukhwahish]

Silent Sufferers 👤

Whenever we listen to the word domestic violence or sexual abuse we make a crystal clear image in our mind of a woman being a victim and suffering through it. I totally agree that violence against women is a severe issue in our society but we should not neglect the fact that violence doesn't comprise to sexes. If women in our community are abused so are men the difference is that we don't term it as abuse. ( Being a feminist I respect all the genders). "you are a boy! boys don't cry!"," be a man and just do it", " boys are supposed to be like this"  and many more examples from daily life show a kind of abuse towards men.

🙊Do you know that 17% of reported domestic violence victims in Canada are men? It is even said that many more don't officially file cases. Did you laugh? Yeah, that is why more men don't tell others of the violence they are facing from their partners. It is reported that every 14.37 seconds a man gets brutally abused. 🙊

The image of a man being an abuser and not a victim is fit in our minds and the reason for this is that women are more victimized in our country and men do not get importance. Well it is fascinating to see that in our modern society even the abused and abuser has an assigned gender which we are not willing to change.

It is common for us to see a man beating a woman but when the situation is reversed we feel something is unusual. Why? 

Spousal abuse is not something that is faced by only one gender. The general presumption or preconceived notions that have been in our society since bygone is that men are supposed to be strong, and mighty and they are generally supposed to bottle up their emotions. If they show or expose their vulnerabilities then they are labeled as being sissy, effeminate, and many other derogatory terms 

So we are living in a modern society where a particular gender needs to fight for acceptance as victims or survivors. Be it male or be it female abuse is abuse without any excuse and should be punished

There are many reasons why men often do not reveal the violence they face by their spouses or by their intimate partners.

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General Stereotypes against males– Men often feel discriminated against or feel uneasy in opening up about the violence that they face because they feel ashamed that they will be judged and will be labeled as wimpy and effeminate. They think their struggle against violence will go in vain because of gender-specific laws and provisions that are given in the Indian Constitution. They feel that they have failed the role of protector in nurturing their families.

Fear of fake cases– Men often feel that revealing the violence can cause unnecessary nuisance and they do not want to face the legal consequences because of the gender-biased or gender-specific laws in our Constitution. They feel that they have to leave their families and they don’t want to lose custody of their children which is often a cumbersome process.

Societal and family pressure– Most Indians continue to live with their families even after their marriage. Because of this factor, men feel ashamed of opening up about the violence. Society also plays a crucial role in nurturing gender-biased laws and stereotypes against a particular gender. 

Denial– Most people feel that domestic violence can only happen to a woman. And they live in denial when they get to know that man can also be a victim of domestic violence. So, basically, people never really want to talk about it.

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Gender-neutral laws are the need of the hour. Human rights and gender equality belong to both men and women. In today’s times where men are falsely accused of rapes, domestic violence, and sexual assault, gender-neutral laws are needed for the hour. Domestic violence, this term nowhere indicates that only women can be the victim of domestic violence, men can also be the victim and not the only perpetrator. Domestic violence should be considered as spousal violence as it is not only restricted to women.

Sexism is the foundation where all tyranny is built. Every social form of hierarchy and abuse is built on a male over female domination only when it comes to being abusers it is vice versa for victims. Society views men as physically stronger sexes and females as physically weaker ones, therefore men are initially assumed as perpetrators in response to domestic violence "pseudo feminists typically argue that intimate partner violence is committed only by men against women. Will society's view on crime, abuse, and domestic violence has an impact on the number of times the cases are reported?  

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After the infamous case of Jhonny Depp, people are being aware of the crimes of women against men. This man highlighted the issue of male abuse and fought for it till the very end, after all, receiving justice. He took the standing world will never forget. Yet till now, there is no law in India protecting men against domestic violence or sexual abuse.

In recent times due to modernization and westernization, societal values, culture, and norms have changed a lot. Earlier men were seen as protectors of their families but nowadays both men and women are equally working, raising, and managing their homes with equal contributions to their incomes. Men have now opened up about the domestic violence that they face and now they have started sharing their pain, agony, and their struggles openly. Men are no longer stronger than women.

violence needs to be stopped be it male or female, be the abuser male or female needs to be punished and the victim male or female needs to get justice. If its a crime to beat a woman it is also a crime to beat a man.

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[home-based-job-women-qween]

The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs in India: Success Factors and Challenges

In recent years, India has seen a surge in women entrepreneurs reshaping various sectors. This blog explores what drives their success and the hurdles they face in the vibrant Indian startup ecosystem.

Success Factors Driving Women Entrepreneurship in India

Supportive Ecosystem: India's evolving startup scene offers tailored programs, funding, and mentorship, empowering women entrepreneurs.

Government Initiatives: Schemes like Stand-Up India and Mudra Yojana provide crucial financial aid and incentives.

Networking and Collaboration: Women-focused forums and coworking spaces foster collaboration and resource sharing.

Technology and Digitalization: Accessible tech tools empower women to start and scale businesses despite traditional barriers.

Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs

Access to Funding: Gender bias in investment decisions and lack of collateral pose significant challenges.

Work-Life Balance: Juggling business demands with societal expectations of family roles can be daunting.

Gender Stereotypes: Deep-seated biases hinder credibility and growth opportunities.

Market Scaling: Expanding beyond initial stages requires navigating competitive markets and operational challenges.

Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead

Despite obstacles, women entrepreneurs in India are resilient, leveraging their skills to innovate and drive impact. With continued support and policy improvements, the future holds promise for women-led businesses. The rise of women entrepreneurs in India signifies progress towards inclusivity and empowerment in entrepreneurship. Their contributions pave the way for a more equitable and prosperous future.

[indiamatchme]

Matchmaking for Indians

The series “Indian Matchmaking” is a satirical depiction of the reality of the culture of marriages in India, particularly amongst the so-called “Upper Modern Class Elites”. The main lead for this docu-cum-reality series has been played by Sima Tiparia who identifies herself as Mumbai’s top Matchmaker. A Matchmaker is essentially a person who’s responsible for finding suitors for a bachelor/bachelorette. The series with its vibrant shots of Rich Indian families does little to hide the uncomfortable reality of the “Matchmaking Foe Indians” feeding to stereotypes and gender discriminations.