Becky Blab

That’s the question posed by my friend Shrayana Bhattacharya in her article on the dilemmas facing Indian women’s sustained presence in the paid workforce. The article discusses the main findings of an Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST) study on working women in Delhi.
Beyond the tricky, technical dimensions of statistical reportage, the study finds that [...]

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For the first time, eunuchs are being factored into Centre’s policy-making, with Union social justice and empowerment ministry (MSJ) naming them as a target group in its schemes for de-addiction from alcoholism and substance abuse.
It is saddening that eunuchs/hijras are only just now being included national policy, especially one such as de-addiction–indicating the difficult social [...]

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The below is a response to BlogHer’s call for a ‘Letter to my Body‘:
Dear Ms. Bodymind,
This letter of appreciation is long overdue. We have been put through the wringer, and emerged triumphant. Mazel tov!
We sure have been confused with our new surroundings in India. We can’t blame ourselves, because we grew up in a very [...]

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The title of this TOI article, “Every hour, 18 women face abuse in India”, seems disturbing not for its large number, but for the surprisingly low one. Remember, this is a country of 1 billion!

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reports that in 2006 (forget the time lag!), on an average at least [...]

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Chowdhury’s at it again, this time with big plans to improve the status of the country’s 33 million widows. She would like to provide them with skills to earn a living, instead of living on the streets and begging in holy Hindu cities where they are deposited by their families. She also hopes to promote [...]

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