What Women Want

(Warning: Really Long Post ahead !)

I was reading a post by one of my favourite bloggers (who I admire for her courage and out-spoken attitude) where she mentioned a contest by BlogAdda called What Women Want.

There are several entries, some silly, some serious, and some downright stupid. This provoked me enough to writing my own post. The contest unfortunately is long over, so I cannot post my entry there. But I can definitely post it here :-)

Now, considering that needs and wants change based on age, culture, marital status etc., I will not pretend to make a generic list. So this is more like a list of what I want women to want.

So here goes:

1. I want to have the confidence to make my own decisions. It’s easy to rely on someone else, father, husband, brother, uncle or even sometimes your mother to make them for you.  Infact, most Indian women are encouraged to do just that. This could be a thing as small as a haircut to as big as a marriage. Thinking for yourself is hard, even harder is taking responsibility for yourself.
2. I want my education to be taken more seriously. Read, write, listen, and be curious of the world around you. Get your degrees, learn some valuable skillset, and be sincere about what you do. Do something which gives you a source of income.
3. I want to work. All women should, at least once in their life whether they need the money or not. Being part of a team, being responsible for the decisions you make, teaches you essential life skills. It teaches you patience, responsibility, maturity, and diplomacy.
4. I want to feel safe. Whether it’s going to a party late at night, or being alone at home, I want to feel I can be alright on my own.
5. I want to be financially independent. Whether you like it or not, money plays a big role in being secure.

It annoyed me a little bit to see how some entries went on and on about the “need to be loved” and how a woman only needs to be listened to and other such soppy stuff. What is this incredible need to glorify women, and claim that they are so very sensitive and caring and self-sacrificing? These are not gender-specific qualities! This in my mind, is what society wants women to want. 

Now before you brand me, let me say I am neither a feminist nor a tomboy. I am like every woman and no particular one. Probably most women think like me too. 

( Phew! This might be one of the longest posts (and the fiercest, perhaps) I have written on this blog.. )

Its time for mean observations about the world

My observations over a croissant in the canteen

List of things not to wear to office(assuming you work in an office like mine, which is...corporate)

1)      Strappy sandals with flesh coloured toe socks. Those are just ugly. Period
2)      Ill-fitting shirts with ill-fitting trousers. They look like pajamas.
3)      Combinations which remind us of the housekeeping staff, security guards or factory workers
4)      The same tie. Every. Single. Day.
5)      Sweater- vests in mustard. Pants in mustard colour. Actually anything in mustard.
6)      Sport Shoes under your formals. unless you are planning to go running after work.
7)      Jangly bangles or anklets. Leave your jingles for weddings please.
8)      Stockings. Ok seriously, we live in a tropical country. Do you really want to die of heat-stroke?
9)      Combinations which defy the colour pallete. Maroon shirt and green trousers. Blue shirt and plum pants. No, just no.
10)   Anything with ruffles or frills or bows. Especially in pink, and especially with ribbons. Please don’t.

About Slumdog Millionaire

When Slumdog Millionaire won an Oscar, I had made a comic about how it would affect Indian media. Oh well, none of this has happened...yet.

Watching saris

The wedding season is in full blast, and I have spent the last few weekends attending weddings, receptions, and other shaadi-related thingys. A small comic inspired by a wedding attended with my friend S.

Bet you didn't know all that much about saris either ;-)

a little trip

I went on a little trip recently, where I didn't do much but eat and sleep. I also managed to produce these two little drawings.

My friend sitting on a swing on the verandah.

And the two beautiful snow-white bulls which lived in the cattle shed behind us.

 This is yours truly, chatting and painting in the verandah. (Photo courtesy: S.)

Self-doubt and et all

Putting up a few doodles I had done long ago. The theme, as it were, is self-pity and whining ;-)

This is just a random thought. I mean, I know I am awesome of course. But even the most confident can have a niggling of self-doubt..

I think the main conclusion I need to draw from here is that I need scanning lessons.

Rant about beauty contests

I keep seeing photos of Femina Miss India contestants, and to be honest, they all look the same to me. They are pretty much template-ised.
Although it would probably be unfair to say that these beauty contests are shallow and meaningless, because the winners generally do have that 'something different' factor. I suppose its the intelligence which makes the difference, I don't know. What I do know is the girls who win this contest come across as articulate, smart and savvy women. And yes, seen individually they are truly beautiful.

However here is a dig on one of the shallower beauty contestants.