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The latest in health, gender, and culture in India — and why it matters. TS Studios brings our storytelling and point of view to original podcasts and films.
Mumbai, India
Joined June 2014
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CHASING THE SUN
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billie
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Alito
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Scottie
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Crockett
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Diddy
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Diddy
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Fauci
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#النصر_الهلال
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RPWP TRACKLIST
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#วอลเลย์บอลหญิง
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Juventus
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Louisville
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कन्हैया कुमार
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Barron
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NCAA
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أبو عبيدة
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ابو عبيده
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#عزالدين_سليم_المفكر_الشهيد
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Homofobia
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ジュラシックワールド
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Shani Louk
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Amit Buskila
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LOST IS COMING
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Madden
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Tabilo
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المنطقه الشرقيه
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$BASED
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Kinds of Kindness
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Sean Combs
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للنصر
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Pinned Tweet
What is fashion if not performance? The drama, the spectacle, the scene. Uorfi Javed thinks fashion isn't about what you wear, it's about how you perform. (1/5)
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Johnson & Johnson to stop selling talcum powder globally after 38,000 cancer lawsuits. (1/3)
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Sudha Murthy’s ‘10 Downing Street’ anecdote has been making the rounds on the Internet, and has now become a template of humility for the richest 1% of the world. (1/4)
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Jr. NTR, one of the stars of ‘RRR’, was trolled for his accent at the Golden Globes red carpet interviews. But the criticism ignores the phenomenon of code-switching, which isn’t a marker of shame or pretense, but a survival instinct.
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Bombay HC Rejects Plea to Ban Pakistani Artists.
Patriotism doesn’t mean hostility to neighbouring countries, the court said. (1/5)
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In 2018, a Reuters investigation found that the company knew for decades that its finished products sometimes had traces of asbestos -- a material known to cause cancer. (3/3)
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The rise of “pan-Indian” films since 'Baahubali,' is said to be driven by the idea that there’s no longer such a thing as Hindi, Telugu, or Tamil films. But there’s a missing piece to the success formula of pan-Indian films: a resurgence of hypermasculinity. (1/3)
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NIMHANS Creates First Ever Tool for Measuring Work Stress (1/3)
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Over the last decade, women across the world have filed lawsuits alleging that the talcum powder caused them to develop ovarian cancer. (2/3)
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A bench, comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli, restored an overturned rape conviction, and noted that the test is based on the "incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman cannot be raped. Nothing can be further from the truth." (3/3)
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The Supreme Court on Monday banned the "two finger test" -- an archaic practice used to determine the validity of a rape survivor's claims by inserting two fingers into the vagina and assess whether the hymen is still present. (2/3)
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It draws audiences in and dares to portray homosexuality as inarguably Indian.
@sonamakapoor
@ReginaCassandra
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Man Kills 12-Year-Old Sister After She Begins Menstruating, Mistakes it For ‘Affair’ (1/5)
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Karnataka Bans Sale of Condoms and Contraceptives to Minors (1/5)
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This week, the reactions to the new season of the controversial Bollywood talk show – Koffee With Karan – have proved, yet again, what we’ve suspected for a while: internet fan cultures have become more puritanical and, dare we say it, misogynistic. (1/4)
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The response of two organizations with a casteist history towards the film shows how its message makes the right people uncomfortable.
@romimacaronii
@Suriya_offl
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Only three countries - India, the U.S., and the U.K. -made up 86% of all hate tweets against Islam and Muslims between August 2019 and 2021, according to a report released last month. The study found that there were about 3,759,18 Islamophobic tweets during this period. (1/3)
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Most Savarna professors consider themselves above casteism -- but tacitly exclude Dalit Bahujan students with abstract theory, alien pedagogy, and gatekeeping.
@ProfRavikantK
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It appears as if the “angry young man” archetype is back — but where the trope used to direct the anger at societal injustice, it is now the default setting. Women are again reduced to mere props whose lives are only relevant insofar as they further the man’s character arc. (2/3)
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Media coverage of the actress's 'Mr. India' statement is just the latest example in a long history of dismissing women's anger as petulance.
@sonamakapoor
@AnilKapoor
@Elgo98
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However, others pointed out how the move would only lead to greater instances of unsafe sex between minors, as opposed to completely curbing sexual activity between them. (4/5)
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#BREAKING
: Even unmarried women are entitled to safe and legal abortion, Supreme Court says in a landmark judgment upholding women's right to choice. (1/3)
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This week, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin visited lyricist Vairamuthu at his residence. Since 2018, Vairamuthu has been accused of sexual harassment by at least 17 women, including playback singer Chinmayi Sripada, The News Minute reported. (1/7)
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‘Youth Should Work 70 Hours a Week,’ Says Narayana Murthy
This is why labor laws exist. (1/8)
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Caste is not just a secret language of aesthetics; it is also the code to classify bodies as legitimate or illegitimate.
Every month, Prof. Ravikant Kisana brings you field notes from Savarna culture.
@ProfRavikantK
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"Women in India are pushing back against social norms that limit their opportunities, though it can be an uphill battle." Via
@BoF
@sonamakapoor
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Spain has become the first European country to pass a paid menstrual leave law. (1/4)
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Somy Ali, an actor, has publicly admitted to being in an abusive relationship with Bollywood megastar Salman Khan years ago. Despite the media terming Ali’s revelations “shocking,” they’re hardly so. This isn’t the first time he's been accused of intimate partner violence. (1/3)
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#Recasting
: The Swaddle team explores how Shimit Amin's 'Chak De! India' became an iconic sports film. Watch the full video here:
@iamsrk
@jaideepsahni
@vidyaMmalavade
@sagarikavghatge
@chitrashirawat
@shilpashukl
@tanyaAbrol
@mehtashubhi
@anaithanair
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The trailer of 'Liger', pegged as the next "pan Indian" film shares a common theme with the others: revved up hero-worship, angry masculinity, and all the makings of a cult-following. Read
@romimacaronii
's piece here: (3/3)
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Know Your Meme has immortalized this as the ‘Sudha Murthy Is So Humble’ template, and this event is reminiscent of how successful Indians try to make themselves seem more relatable to the middle class by downplaying their wealth and privilege. (3/4)
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#BeyondBahus
: Actor Nakuul Mehta talks about loneliness, the comfort of Indian TV dramas, and playing Ram Kapoor.
‘Beyond Bahus’ explores the history and evolution of Indian TV dramas, and what it means for women watching. Watch here:
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The brother’s reaction is indicative of a long-lasting and staggeringly dangerous perception of the female body in Indian society, where a lack of education combined with archaic notions of ‘sexual purity’ often leads to femicide. (3/5)
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“The Adani Group… has draped itself in the Indian flag while systematically looting the nation.”
-Hindenburg Research
(1/3)
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Murthy has been hailed as the epitome of humility and grace, but actions such as these come across as tone-deaf, and echo skepticism. (4/4)
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Politician Mahua Moitra is presently facing right-wing backlash for using the term “haraami” in Parliament – bringing forth the sexist bias in the expectation of sanskaar from women politicians.
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Shakun Batra’s "slow-burner," in some ways, empowers survivors of childhood trauma to choose their narratives, rather than being defined by their past.
@DevrupaRakshit
@shakunbatra
@deepikapadukone
@ananyapandayy
@SiddyChats
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Ram Sena Chief Assures Jobs, Security to Hindu Men Who ‘Trap Muslim Girls’ (1/5)
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The Swaddle is looking for stories of single women who have tried to access housing in India. If you have faced any biases – due to judgment by landlords, paperwork hurdles, systemic challenges, or more – and want to share your story, email us at creative
@theswaddle
.com.
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The billionaire philanthropist, and novelist probably did not expect such backlash when she graced The Kapil Sharma Show, and went on to narrate her story of how an immigration officer was in disbelief upon hearing her residential address, due to her plain appearance. (2/4)
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Ranveer Allahbadia -- who goes by 'Beer Biceps' -- has yet again invited controversy for his podcast episode with J. Sai Deepak, an engineer-turned-litigator. (1/5)
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#TheThirdActTS
: We explore what made Kashi the heart of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Bajirao Mastani.’
‘The Third Act’ is The Swaddle’s series where we explore supporting characters who stole the show.
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A female character who is allowed to be human is so very rare -- and refreshing.
@anuragkashyap72
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The culture of hiding oneself from family is pervasive in India, yet the cost of the double lives that Indians lead in an attempt to avoid their controlling parents is high. The pressure to decide between such distinct versions leads to a litany of mental health issues. (1/4)
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#BeyondBahus
: Actor Nakuul Mehta talks about playing a flawed character like Shivaay, calling out patriarchy on TV, and the journey of a character on television. Watch the full documentary here:
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In simply remaining loyal to the power of storytelling, Rajinikanth has fortified the cultural legacy of the movies, turning it from a simple watching experience to a veritable ritual which people forge meanings with. Read here:
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The move comes a little over a month after condoms and cigarettes were discovered in a Class 10 student’s bag in one of the schools in Bengaluru, an incident that triggered great moral panic among teachers and parents. (2/5)
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The latest saga in Indian cinema’s ongoing bigotry multiverse project is ‘The Kerala Story,’ which depicts the alleged conversion of four women to Islam and subsequent recruitment into ISIS. (1/4)
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On Thursday, Olympic medal winner Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling after Sanjay Singh – alleged loyalist of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh – won the elections to become President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). (1/7)
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Kerala to Consider Implementing Menstrual Leave Across All Universities (1/3)
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Read
@romimacaronii
's piece on why India’s moral panic about teen sexuality is a public health crisis here: (5/5)
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Not only that, but the court also observed that the petition was a “retrograde step in promoting cultural harmony, unity and peace, and has no merit in it” – emphasizing that such a ban would hinder cultural harmony and peace. (2/5)
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#TheBestPartsTS
: Writer Juhi Chaturvedi speaks about the legacy of Piku, why Piku doesn’t feel the need to perform her gender, and the complexity of caring for aging parents. (1/2)
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According to police sources, however, it was likely that due to a lack of knowledge about periods, the girl was unable to explain the bloodstains on her clothes when she was asked about them. (2/5)
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Arivu being sidelined from his own work — work that made it to international charts, nonetheless — is an example of the extent to which this cultural erasure can go on. Read
@amlansarkr
's piece here: (3/3)
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The bench, consisting of Justice Gauri Godse, remarked that the Bhusawal District Judge’s rejection of the initial application [to adopt] was “unfounded, illegal, perverse, unjust, and unacceptable.” (1/3)
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@sonamakapoor
, we loved your take today on why change in mindset is necessary and must be immediate.
#BoFVOICES
@bof
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Dissecting health, gender and culture in India, one feminist angle at a time. For narratives long ignored in male-dominated media, follow
@theswaddle
.
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Richest 1% in India own more than 40% of total wealth: Oxfam Report (1/5)
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23-year-old Mohammad Rizwan, a Swiggy delivery worker from Hyderabad, was making a routine drop-off at a customer’s house when their pet dog chased him off the third floor of the building. He was rushed to a hospital and declared dead three days later. (1/3)
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The Swaddle is accepting pitches for short documentary films on stories that have been marginalised or overlooked in mainstream Indian narratives. Email your pitch and CV to tsstudios
@theswaddle
.com.
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Diljit Dosanjh has a new song out with Saweetie, which followed his other song with Sia, his onstage performance with Ed Sheeran, his Coachella gig, his Jamnagar one... the list goes on. What's behind it all -- and what do we make of his rise to global stardom?
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"The idea that the vegetarian child is someone whose sensibilities have to be constantly protected by everybody else — that is the enforcement of the caste system," says Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, a public health doctor. Read the full piece here:
@sakie339
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#Recasting
: Why is the ideal Indian family always happy, and how does 'Kapoor and Sons' make us question this depiction? Watch the full video here:
@shakunbatra
@AyeshaDeVitre
@SidMalhotra
@aliaa08
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The World Health Organization recognizes workplace burnout as an occupational phenomenon. Read
@DevrupaRakshit
's piece on how workplace burnout can damage long-term well-being here: (3/3)
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Siddique Kappan, Journalist Arrested on His Way to Report on Hathras Rape, Released After 2 Years (1/3)
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Questioning the petitioner’s narrow view of patriotism, the court also noted: "One must understand that in order to be a patriot, one need not be inimical to those from abroad, especially, from the neighbouring country..." (3/5)
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In Morbi, Gujarat, Vibhuti Patel, the owner of Raniba Industries Pvt. Ltd., reportedly forced a 21-year-old Dalit man, Nilesh Dalsaniya, to hold her footwear in his mouth and apologize for demanding his salary for the services he had already rendered. (1/8)
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In an Instagram post yesterday morning, Tamil anti-caste rapper Arivu finally spoke out about a long-brewing controversy surrounding his viral and immensely powerful track Enjoy Enjaami, for which he had worked with singer Dhee and music director Santhosh Narayanan. (1/3)
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The Delhi High Court recently raised concerns over the trend of accused rapists marrying their victims to avoid sentencing and then abandoning them. (1/5)
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TAWS-16, a tool to assess employee work-related stress, “can help identify any company rule that’s causing stress to employees, and correct it,” Dr. Gautham M S, the research and development lead for the tool, told Deccan Herald. (2/3)
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Pulitzer Prize-winning publication BuzzFeed News is officially shutting down after more than a decade. (1/4)
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As of Tuesday, Seattle has become the first US city to outlaw caste-based discrimination. Kshama Sawant, a local city council member who comes from an upper-caste Brahmin family, proposed adding the caste ordinance to Seattle’s anti-discrimination laws. (1/4)
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Why would we assume human sexual desire is a universal experience?
@asexualityindia
@asexuality
@asexualjournal
@nnooreyezdan
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RRR's global success can only be understood within the historical context of politics and caste. Read
@romimacaronii
's and
@anticastecat
's journey into the heart of Tollywood’s organized fandoms here:
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#Recasting
: How has Indian cinema depicted a 'good' daughter, and how does 'Piku' make us question those expectations? Watch the full video here:
@juhichat67
@deepikapadukone
@SrBachchan
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DU Authorities Lock Women Students Inside Hostel Premises During Holi (1/6)
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Indian families have notoriously struggled with the concept of boundaries. It gets especially stifling on occasions when one is forced to confront family members -- even the ones who aren't close -- who engage in put-downs that are disguised as concern. (1/3)
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Nearly 53% of urban Indian women do not step out of their homes even once a day, as compared to a small percentage of men, suggests new research on the wide gender gaps in mobility, published in Science Direct’s journal 'Travel Behaviour and Society.' (1/4)
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Pramod Muthalik’s comments on alleged love jihad highlight extremist Hindu nationalist outfits’ continued discomfort with women’s autonomy – whether Hindu or Muslim. (4/5)
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The societal lack of awareness about menstruation compounds the problem, and is the other element of this tragic event. (4/5)
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#TellMeMore
: Talking Social Responsibility and Incarceration During Covid19 With Dr. Kafeel Khan -- "Covid19 isn't the reason our healthcare system has collapsed; Covid19 has merely exposed our collapsed healthcare systems." Read here:
@drkafeelkhan
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The taboo surrounding the female body, especially in terms of its sexual and reproductive processes, are shrouded in mystery and shame. Read our 'Bloody Lies' campaign from the archives on menstrual myths our readers grew up hearing here: (5/5)
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Dissecting health, gender and culture in India, one feminist angle at a time. For narratives long ignored in male-dominated media, follow
@theswaddle
.
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School principals and administrators praised the move, highlighting that the ban would be an effective measure to discourage minors from buying contraceptives, reported Bangalore Mirror. (3/5)
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This week, queer Indians on Twitter strongly criticized the organizers of an upcoming pride parade in Mumbai. (1/3)
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Last night, the Academy Awards announced their list of presenters at the ceremony – and Deepika Padukone is on it. We’re used to seeing Indians occupying the Oscars stage, with Priyanka Chopra and A.R. Rahman. The ‘RRR’ team will also be in attendance as nominees. (1/5)
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Mohammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha, the fact-checking duo tirelessly dampening flames of misinformation in India, were announced as this year’s favorites to win the Nobel Peace Prize. (1/3)
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A report by Vulture reveals that over 100 professionals from the art department of the Spiderman team left the project because they simply couldn’t take the pressure anymore. (1/6)
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Gender Bias of Indian Teachers Can Negatively Impact Girls’ Maths Performance: Study (1/3)
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Indeed, a decision to ban Pakistani artists wouldn’t just be a disservice to the diplomatic relations between the countries – as the court noted – but also to Indian fans of Pakistani artists. (5/5)
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Poet Rupi Kaur is in the news for rejecting an invitation to attend a Diwali celebration hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris. Her reasons for declining the invite from the Biden administration: the country’s stance on Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza. (1/6)
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Alarming statistics reveal that over 13,000 students hailing from SC, ST, and OBC communities have dropped out of prestigious Indian educational institutions – including IITs and IIMs – in the past five years. (1/7)
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Mumbai Hostel Murder Shows Our Idea of Women’s Safety Is to Police, Not Protect (1/6)
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Two male-directed shorts in Lust Stories 2 are preoccupied with big breasts and cleavage shots. At one point, the camera zooms into a bra size to vividly eroticize 36DD written in fine print. (1/6)
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A woman civil judge in Uttar Pradesh has written an open letter to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, alleging sexual harassment by her senior – a district judge – and his associates and requesting permission to end her life. (1/7)
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