Being on Legal Services Clinic gives me a high. It sounds corny as all hell, but the sense of purpose and excitement and I don't know, its just awesome. Teeheee!
But its not just the work we do, or try to do. Its also being around people who care about the same stuff, who are positive and looking to make things better. Such a good feeling.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
On being a rockstar (for just a minute)
The LLP that I went for yesterday didn't promise to be very much different from the others I've been to. We went to Christel house (good place that does good work, will not bore with the details) and spent ten minutes wishing we'd gone to school there, such was the prettiness of the place. The LLP went as they usually do, skits, questions, explanations, skits questions explanations skitsquestionsexplanations. In the middle of it Nidhi and Nishita looked at me with this expression on their face and told me the teachers wanted us to talk about sexual harassment, something we've never covered in our LLPs, EVER, for fear of offending or being thought of as "corrupting" influences.
So I went up and said something or the other, with the able aid of Nidhi and Nishi and came away feeling like I must've made a fool of myself. We took pictures with the kids, read their feedback with no little amusement (they didn't hold back, some of them, in the communication of their view that we were very boring. Most of them did love us, though) and made our way back to the bus. And thats when it happened. Two girls, then another girl, then two boys came up to me, said they liked my "speech", that I spoke very well and made sense, and that they'd wait for me to come back to their school; and I felt like I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
So I went up and said something or the other, with the able aid of Nidhi and Nishi and came away feeling like I must've made a fool of myself. We took pictures with the kids, read their feedback with no little amusement (they didn't hold back, some of them, in the communication of their view that we were very boring. Most of them did love us, though) and made our way back to the bus. And thats when it happened. Two girls, then another girl, then two boys came up to me, said they liked my "speech", that I spoke very well and made sense, and that they'd wait for me to come back to their school; and I felt like I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Hijabs and Why-are-women-frisked-inside-cabins?
Went to UB City today. Part of the hunt-for-the-hijab. What stood out, apart from the slightly silly interior decoration, was the public frisking of the ladies. Which got me thinking, why do women get felt up inside the confines of a cloth tent? What warped sense of modesty makes it okay for a man to be frisked in public, but necessary for a woman to be shielded from public eyes when being thus treated? Very, very odd phenomenon.
On the one hand, women are treated as visual ice lollies; and on the other, their lajja must be protected, they must go forth into the world armed with modest clothing, mace and spiky stuff, and be frisked only inside a tent. I. do. not. understand.
Also, Ayush the perceptive recently remarked that it was a sad commentary on the state of our society how I saw my dooshang (wooden-hair-keeper-upper-thingamajig) as a convenient weapon to blind a gropey man; and how it was even sadder that as a society, we've made women so jumpy that often innocent men get lambasted for having looked in the wrong direction at the wrong moment.
I agree. Its almost heart breaking.
PS- Anyone who thinks all Muslim women must hate wearing the hijab would do well to just google it once. welovehijab.com is a starting point.
http://www.islamfortoday.com/hijabcanada4.htm contanis some interesting arguments for the hijab, which might make some of us think twice about how liberating it really is to strut about in almost-birthday-suits. I'm not arguing this way or that, just saying that there are people out their who love being hijabis, and who see hijabs as an expression of their identity and as a shield against lecherous men, and regressive liberation.
On the one hand, women are treated as visual ice lollies; and on the other, their lajja must be protected, they must go forth into the world armed with modest clothing, mace and spiky stuff, and be frisked only inside a tent. I. do. not. understand.
Also, Ayush the perceptive recently remarked that it was a sad commentary on the state of our society how I saw my dooshang (wooden-hair-keeper-upper-thingamajig) as a convenient weapon to blind a gropey man; and how it was even sadder that as a society, we've made women so jumpy that often innocent men get lambasted for having looked in the wrong direction at the wrong moment.
I agree. Its almost heart breaking.
PS- Anyone who thinks all Muslim women must hate wearing the hijab would do well to just google it once. welovehijab.com is a starting point.
http://www.islamfortoday.com/hijabcanada4.htm contanis some interesting arguments for the hijab, which might make some of us think twice about how liberating it really is to strut about in almost-birthday-suits. I'm not arguing this way or that, just saying that there are people out their who love being hijabis, and who see hijabs as an expression of their identity and as a shield against lecherous men, and regressive liberation.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Logistical update + on boredom
Boredom or a lack of things to do spells depression for me. Buh. Also http://gwscomic.com is an awesome comic.
If you've been wondering (my scant readership) where all the feminist stuff is- its all on the facebook group I created, called "Discussing Feminism". Check it out here- www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=121788191186506 Its fun, promise :)
PS- I can't figure out how to embed links. The insert links feature had somewhat invisible results Help?
If you've been wondering (my scant readership) where all the feminist stuff is- its all on the facebook group I created, called "Discussing Feminism". Check it out here- www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=121788191186506 Its fun, promise :)
PS- I can't figure out how to embed links. The insert links feature had somewhat invisible results Help?
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Misc Observations
Daddy doesn’t talk unless he has a glass in his hand and/or everyone's eating
Tumsa nahin dekha inspired him to dance around nani
Fluffy is now old and doddering a bit, but food still gets her excited. (There is photographic evidence. In daddy’s words- “paagal hoi phirdi hai”)
I think I’ll be the same when I’m old
Doctors are sometimes like bad lawyers. They don’t listen to clients, and they’re quick to provide “solutions” that might or might not be appropriate.
Manna Dey and Mohd Rafi are awesome fun. Indians are MENTAL, but in a good way.
The BRO has a sense of humour that helps them do a decent job at telling people to slow down along the roads in the mountains. Some gems- “If eager to last, then why fast?” “Better late than Mr. Late”
Your family is the only group of people you can relax and be utter slobs around. They'll love you anyway and they've seen you in every possible state and mood you're capable of being in.
I'm sick of how American my music is.
Tumsa nahin dekha inspired him to dance around nani
Fluffy is now old and doddering a bit, but food still gets her excited. (There is photographic evidence. In daddy’s words- “paagal hoi phirdi hai”)
I think I’ll be the same when I’m old
Doctors are sometimes like bad lawyers. They don’t listen to clients, and they’re quick to provide “solutions” that might or might not be appropriate.
Manna Dey and Mohd Rafi are awesome fun. Indians are MENTAL, but in a good way.
The BRO has a sense of humour that helps them do a decent job at telling people to slow down along the roads in the mountains. Some gems- “If eager to last, then why fast?” “Better late than Mr. Late”
Your family is the only group of people you can relax and be utter slobs around. They'll love you anyway and they've seen you in every possible state and mood you're capable of being in.
I'm sick of how American my music is.
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