India celebrated 75 years of independence on August 15th 2022. And the eleven men convicted in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case walked free that day.
I write this post to make an appeal to all of you my readers, to pray for Bilkis Bano and her family. I ask all of you to keep them in your thoughts for a little while every day. Every moment you can give Bilkis Bano counts.
Will you accept your role and the part that you played, all those years that you looked away, pretended that all was well and things were okay, even though you knew she lived with fear each night and day?
Exploring Patriarchy Chapter 21 – Those of you who live in India will understand the term Building-Uncle even though it might be new to you. For those who don’t, in India, all elderly men are called Uncle wherever they go, and elderly women, Auntie. The Building-Uncle is my term for the uncle who lives within the same housing society or building.
Exploring Patriarchy Chapter 20 –
It used to be Baby ‘cos they saw I was young
the one they looked after when her parents weren’t around.
Then, it was Didi – the elder sister
a young adult woman without a ‘Mister’.
MM’s Story:
The role of the Indian woman is defined very differently from that of the Indian man. Her career, education or income level matter very little. What seems to be important to society is her personal choices. Or those that are made for her by her family. And by the God’s.
Exploring Patriarchy Chapter 7 – They tied MM down though she didn’t even realize it. All these rules about what women should wear – what ‘look’ their appearance should portray. Where they could go when they went out, and what time they should be back home.
the relaxed housekeeper 