जब मैं बड़ी हो रही थी, तब नारीवाद (feminism) ऐसी कोई चीज़ नहीं थी जिसके बारे में ज्यादा बात की जाए। मीडिया में नारीवाद को लेकर एक बहुत ही नकारात्मक छवि गढ़ी जाती है। इससे युवा महिलाओं के लिए इस आंदोलन को समझना बहुत मुश्किल हो जाता है। हो सकता है कि इस शब्द के डर से लोग खुद को नारीवादी न कहना चाहें। लेकिन लोगों को यह समझने की जरूरत है कि नारीवाद का असल अर्थ क्या है और खारिज करने से पहले खुद को शिक्षित करना चाहिए।
When I grew up, feminism wasn’t something that was really talked about. There’s a really negative stereotype about feminism in the media. That really plays badly for young women understanding the movement. Maybe people don’t want to identify themselves as feminists because of the label. But people need to understand what feminism means and educate themselves before they reject it.
When I grew up, feminism wasn’t something that was really talked about. There’s a really negative stereotype about feminism in the media. That really plays badly for young women understanding the movement. Maybe people don’t want to identify themselves as feminists because of the label. But people need to understand what feminism means and educate themselves before they reject it.
समानता का विचार ही वह पैमाना है जिससे मैं आज भी नारीवाद को परिभाषित करती हूँ। मुझे लगता है कि यह एक व्यापक परिभाषा है जो महिलाओं और पुरुषों के इस शब्द और आंदोलन के साथ जुड़े विभिन्न अनुभवों को अपने भीतर समेटती है।
The idea of equality is still how I define feminism. I think it's a broad definition that encompasses the variety of experiences women and men have with the word and the movement.
The idea of equality is still how I define feminism. I think it's a broad definition that encompasses the variety of experiences women and men have with the word and the movement.
मैं सचमुच महसूस करती हूँ कि बाहर की अधिकांश युवा महिलाएँ नारीवादी हैं—बस वे यह नहीं जानती हैं कि "नारीवाद" वह शब्द है जो उनके विश्वासों का वर्णन करता है। मैं युवा महिलाओं को यह दिखाना चाहती हूँ कि हालाँकि अतीत की नारीवादियों ने अविश्वसनीय काम किया और आज हम जो थोड़ी-बहुत समानता का अनुभव कर रहे हैं, वह उनकी कड़ी मेहनत का ही नतीजा है, लेकिन हमें अभी एक लंबा सफर तय करना है। हमें अभी भी अपने अधिकारों के लिए लड़ना है और जो अधिकार हमें मिले हैं, उन्हें बनाए रखने के लिए पूरी तरह सतर्क रहना है।
I honestly feel that most young women out there are feminists - they just don't know that the word "feminism" describes the things they believe in. I wants to show young women that while feminists of the past did incredible work and that while the relative equality we experience now is due to their hard work, we still have a ways to go. We still have to fight for our rights and be vigilant in terms of keeping the rights we do have.
I honestly feel that most young women out there are feminists - they just don't know that the word "feminism" describes the things they believe in. I wants to show young women that while feminists of the past did incredible work and that while the relative equality we experience now is due to their hard work, we still have a ways to go. We still have to fight for our rights and be vigilant in terms of keeping the rights we do have.
मेरा मानना है कि मेरा पालन-पोषण नारीवादी मूल्यों के साथ हुआ, लेकिन मुझे नहीं लगता कि मैंने कभी अपनी माँ को खुद को नारीवादी कहते हुए सुना हो। खुद को नारीवादी मानने से पहले, मैं नारीवाद को 70 के दशक के महिला आंदोलन का वर्णन करने वाला एक ऐतिहासिक शब्द मानती थी, लेकिन मुझे इस बारे में ज्यादा जानकारी नहीं थी कि उन्होंने क्या किया था और मुझे नहीं लगता था कि इसका मेरे जीवन से कोई लेना-देना है।
I believe I was raised with feminist values, but I don't think I ever heard my Mom call herself a feminist. Before I identified as a feminist myself, I thought of feminism as more of a historical term describing the women's movement in the '70s but didn't know much about what they had done and didn't think it applied to my life at all.
I believe I was raised with feminist values, but I don't think I ever heard my Mom call herself a feminist. Before I identified as a feminist myself, I thought of feminism as more of a historical term describing the women's movement in the '70s but didn't know much about what they had done and didn't think it applied to my life at all.
मुझे लगता है कि ग्लैमोर जैसी पत्रिकाओं में बड़ा प्रभाव डालने की क्षमता होती है। ग्लैमोर महिलाओं को नारीवाद जैसी उन चीज़ों से परिचित करा सकता है जिनसे वे शायद अच्छी तरह वाकिफ न हों। वास्तव में, ग्लैमोर ने अतीत में ऐसा किया है—जब मैं आठवीं कक्षा में थी, तब मैंने ग्लैमोर पत्रिका में कन्या भ्रूण हत्या और शिशु हत्या पर एक लेख पढ़ा था, जिसने वास्तव में नारीवाद में मेरी पूरी रुचि जगा दी थी। मुझे यह बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं है जब कुछ नारीवादी कहती हैं कि हमें सौंदर्य और फैशन पत्रिकाओं को बंद कर देना चाहिए—मुझे लगता है कि नारीवाद में फैशन, मौज-मस्ती, सेक्स, दोस्ती और रिश्तों आदि के बारे में बात करने के लिए भी पूरी जगह है।
I think magazines like Glamour have the ability to have a great impact. Glamour has the ability to expose them to things like feminism that they may not be well acquainted with. In fact, Glamour has done that in the past - when I was in eighth grade I read an article in Glamour magazine about female feticide and infanticide that actually sparked my entire interest in feminism. I hate it when some feminists say we should get rid of beauty and fashion magazines - I think there's room in feminism for fashion, for fun, for talking about sex and friendships and relationships, etc.
I think magazines like Glamour have the ability to have a great impact. Glamour has the ability to expose them to things like feminism that they may not be well acquainted with. In fact, Glamour has done that in the past - when I was in eighth grade I read an article in Glamour magazine about female feticide and infanticide that actually sparked my entire interest in feminism. I hate it when some feminists say we should get rid of beauty and fashion magazines - I think there's room in feminism for fashion, for fun, for talking about sex and friendships and relationships, etc.
मुझे सचमुच ऐसा महसूस हुआ कि हाई स्कूल की तुलना में कॉलेज मेरे लिए एक बहुत बेहतर और आरामदायक माहौल था। इसका मुख्य श्रेय इस बात को जाता है कि मैं बर्नार्ड में पढ़ती हूँ, जो कि महिलाओं का एक कॉलेज है जो महिला नेतृत्व, एक मजबूत समुदाय और स्वतंत्रता को बढ़ावा देता है—ये सभी ऐसी चीजें हैं जिन्हें मैं जाहिर तौर पर महत्व देती हूँ। स्कूल पहुँचने से पहले मुझे लगता था कि वहाँ की अधिकांश महिलाएँ खुद को नारीवादी मानती होंगी, जो कि मैंने पाया कि हमेशा ऐसा नहीं था, लेकिन मुझे यह बहुत पसंद आया कि मैं महिलाओं के साथ नारीवाद पर बेहद बुद्धिमान और विचारोत्तेजक बातचीत कर पाऊँगी, भले ही उनका नज़रिया कुछ भी हो।
I actually felt like college was a much better and more comfortable environment for me than high school was. I think that can largely be attributed to the fact that I go to Barnard, which is a women's college that promotes women's leadership, a strong community and independence which are all things I obviously value. Before I got to school I think I expected most women there to identify as feminist, which I found wasn't necessarily the case, but I loved that I was able to have really intelligent and stimulating conversations with women about feminism no matter how they identified.
I actually felt like college was a much better and more comfortable environment for me than high school was. I think that can largely be attributed to the fact that I go to Barnard, which is a women's college that promotes women's leadership, a strong community and independence which are all things I obviously value. Before I got to school I think I expected most women there to identify as feminist, which I found wasn't necessarily the case, but I loved that I was able to have really intelligent and stimulating conversations with women about feminism no matter how they identified.
बड़े दोस्तों और नारीवादियों से बात करके मैं जो समझ पाई हूँ, उसके अनुसार मुझे लगता है कि एक बार जब मैं नौकरीपेशा दुनिया में कदम रखूंगी और शादी तथा बच्चे पैदा करने के बारे में सोचूंगी, तो हाशिए पर धकेले जाने के मामले में मेरा लिंग शायद मेरी नारीवादी पहचान पर भारी पड़ेगा। आंकड़ों के अनुसार भर्ती और कार्यस्थल पर भेदभाव आज भी एक कड़वी सच्चाई है। मुझे यह भी लगता है कि एक नारीवादी के रूप में, एक ऐसे रिश्ते को तलाशना जो सच्ची और पूर्ण समानता पर आधारित हो, एक चुनौती होगी। लेकिन उम्मीद है कि जब तक मैं उन मुद्दों का सामना कर रही होंगी, तब तक नारीवादियों ने उन सभी क्षेत्रों में काफी प्रगति कर ली होगी।
From what I understand from talking with older friends and feminists, I think that once I enter the workforce and start to think about marriage and having children, my gender will probably eclipse my feminist identity in terms of marginalization. Discrimination in terms of hiring and in the workplace are still real according to statistics. I also think, as a feminist, figuring out what a relationship based on true and complete equality is will be a challenge. But hopefully by the time I'm dealing with those issues feminists will have made great progress in all of those areas.
From what I understand from talking with older friends and feminists, I think that once I enter the workforce and start to think about marriage and having children, my gender will probably eclipse my feminist identity in terms of marginalization. Discrimination in terms of hiring and in the workplace are still real according to statistics. I also think, as a feminist, figuring out what a relationship based on true and complete equality is will be a challenge. But hopefully by the time I'm dealing with those issues feminists will have made great progress in all of those areas.
मेरी पहचान के कारण मुझे खलनायिका बना दिया गया है—मुझे केवल नारीवाद के साथ जुड़ने की इच्छा दिखाने के कारण ब्लॉग पर भद्दे कमेंट्स और ईमेल मिले हैं, और ये उन लोगों द्वारा किए गए हैं जो स्पष्ट रूप से यह नहीं समझते कि मैं किन मूल्यों को मानती हूँ और क्यों मैं खुद को नारीवादी मानती हूँ। आखिरकार, मुझे इस बात से ज्यादा फर्क नहीं पड़ता कि लोग खुद को नारीवादी मानते हैं या नहीं, बल्कि इस बात से अधिक चिंता है कि लोग समझें कि नारीवाद क्या है। यदि वे खुद को नारीवादी नहीं कहना चाहते तो यह ठीक है। मैं हर किसी के अपनी मर्जी से पहचान चुनने के फैसले का सम्मान करती हूँ और बदले में उसी सम्मान की उम्मीद करती हूँ, हालांकि मुझे हमेशा ऐसा सम्मान मिलता नहीं है।
I have been villainized because of my identity - I've received nasty blog comments and emails just based on my willingness to identify with feminism by people who clearly don't understand what I value and why I identify as a feminist. Ultimately, I'm less concerned with whether or not people identify as feminist and am more concerned with whether or not people understand what feminism is. If they don't want to identify as a feminist that's fine. I respect people's decision to identify any way they want and expect that same respect in return, although I don't always get it.
I have been villainized because of my identity - I've received nasty blog comments and emails just based on my willingness to identify with feminism by people who clearly don't understand what I value and why I identify as a feminist. Ultimately, I'm less concerned with whether or not people identify as feminist and am more concerned with whether or not people understand what feminism is. If they don't want to identify as a feminist that's fine. I respect people's decision to identify any way they want and expect that same respect in return, although I don't always get it.
लोगों के सामने इस बात को लेकर हमेशा से पूरी तरह स्पष्ट रहना मेरे लिए महत्वपूर्ण रहा है कि मैं खुद को नारीवादी मानती हूँ, क्योंकि यह लोगों को इस आंदोलन से परिचित कराने और इसके बारे में शिक्षित करने का एक अवसर है। युवा महिलाएँ खुद को नारीवादी इसलिए नहीं मानतीं क्योंकि वे किसी नारीवादी को नहीं जानतीं और न ही उनके पास इस बात की कोई व्यापक समझ होती है कि यह क्या है, इसलिए मैंने उन्हें एक उदाहरण दिया और इसके बारे में सवाल पूछने का अवसर दिया। और जब उन्होंने देखा कि मैं किसी नकारात्मक नारीवादी रूढ़िवादिता का रूप नहीं हूँ—कि मैं उन्हीं की तरह एक सामान्य किशोर लड़की हूँ—तो मुझे लगता है कि वे इस बात को जानने के प्रति अधिक खुले विचारों वाली बन गईं कि वास्तव में नारीवाद क्या है।
It's always been important to me to be very upfront with people about the fact that I do identify as a feminist because it's an opportunity to expose people to and educated them about the movement. Young women don't identify as feminist is because they don't know any feminists and don't have a comprehensive understanding of what it is, I gave them example and an opportunity to ask about it. And once they saw that I wasn't the embodiment of the negative feminist stereotype - that I was a normal teen girl just like them - I think they became more open to learning about what feminism really is.
It's always been important to me to be very upfront with people about the fact that I do identify as a feminist because it's an opportunity to expose people to and educated them about the movement. Young women don't identify as feminist is because they don't know any feminists and don't have a comprehensive understanding of what it is, I gave them example and an opportunity to ask about it. And once they saw that I wasn't the embodiment of the negative feminist stereotype - that I was a normal teen girl just like them - I think they became more open to learning about what feminism really is.
भले ही महिलाएँ कुछ मायनों में समान प्रतीत हों, और भले ही हमने निश्चित रूप से बहुत कुछ हासिल किया हो, लेकिन सच्चाई यह है कि हर दूसरी महिला को अपने जीवन में किसी न किसी मोड़ पर यौन हिंसा का सामना करना पड़ेगा; अमेरिकी सीनेट में महज 17 प्रतिशत महिलाएँ हैं; महिलाओं को पुरुषों के हर एक डॉलर पर आज भी केवल 77 सेंट ही मिलते हैं—और इसमें तो सेक्स ट्रैफिकिंग या ऑनर किलिंग जैसे वैश्विक मुद्दों को शामिल भी नहीं किया गया है। हमें अभी भी नारीवाद की आवश्यकता है, बस लोगों के लिए—विशेषकर अमेरिका जैसे बेहद विशेषाधिकार प्राप्त देश के लोगों के लिए—इसे हमेशा देख पाना इतना आसान नहीं होता।
Though women may appear equal in some ways, and though we definitely have accomplished a lot, the fact is one in one women will still experience sexual violence at some point in their lives; a mere 17 percent of the U.S. Senate is female; women still only make 77 cents for every man's dollar - and that's not even taking into consideration global issues like sex trafficking or honor killings. We still need feminism, it's just not as easy for people - especially people in an incredibly privileged country like America - to always see that.
Though women may appear equal in some ways, and though we definitely have accomplished a lot, the fact is one in one women will still experience sexual violence at some point in their lives; a mere 17 percent of the U.S. Senate is female; women still only make 77 cents for every man's dollar - and that's not even taking into consideration global issues like sex trafficking or honor killings. We still need feminism, it's just not as easy for people - especially people in an incredibly privileged country like America - to always see that.
अब, मुझे लगता है कि बहुत से लोग चारों ओर देखते हैं और महसूस करते हैं कि हम पुरुषों के लगभग बराबर हैं। वास्तव में, अब कॉलेज से स्नातक होने वालों में महिलाओं का बहुमत है, हमारे पास हिलेरी क्लिंटन जैसी आदर्श शख्सियतें हैं जिनसे हम प्रेरणा ले सकते हैं—ऐसा लगता है कि दुनिया हमारे लिए पूरी तरह खुली है और हम कुछ भी हासिल कर सकती हैं। मुझे लगता है कि आज नारीवादियों की अक्सर उपेक्षा की जाती है क्योंकि हमें ऐसे मुद्दों पर शिकायत करने वाला समझा जाता है जिनके बारे में लोगों को लगता है कि वे अब अस्तित्व में ही नहीं हैं। मुझे यह भी लगता है कि युवा महिलाएँ खुद को नारीवादी कहने से कतराती हैं क्योंकि उनमें से कई को इसके बारे में शिक्षित नहीं किया गया है या उनका इससे पाला नहीं पड़ा है। वे इसके बारे में इतना नहीं जानतीं कि खुद को इससे जोड़ सकें।
Now, I think a lot of people look around and feel that we're relatively equal with men. In fact, women are now the majority of college graduates, we have role models like Hillary Clinton to look up to - it seems like the world is completely open to us and we can accomplish anything. I think feminists are often disdained today because we're seen as complaining about a problem people think no longer exists. I also think young women shy away from calling themselves feminists because many haven't been educated about it or exposed to it. They don't know enough about it to identify with it.
Now, I think a lot of people look around and feel that we're relatively equal with men. In fact, women are now the majority of college graduates, we have role models like Hillary Clinton to look up to - it seems like the world is completely open to us and we can accomplish anything. I think feminists are often disdained today because we're seen as complaining about a problem people think no longer exists. I also think young women shy away from calling themselves feminists because many haven't been educated about it or exposed to it. They don't know enough about it to identify with it.
व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर अतीत में खुद को नारीवादी कहना कैसा होता था, इस बारे में मैं ज्यादा कुछ नहीं कह सकती, लेकिन मुझे लगता है कि अतीत में खुद को नारीवादी कहना शायद इसलिए कठिन रहा होगा क्योंकि 70 के दशक की नारीवादियों ने ही सबसे पहले गहराई से रचे-बसे लैंगिकारों (gender roles) को चुनौती दी थी और ठोस राजनीतिक तथा आर्थिक अधिकारों की मांग की थी। वे ऐसे अधिकार मांग रही थीं जो सत्ता में बैठे लोगों के लिए सीधे खतरे की तरह प्रतीत होते थे—वे ऐसे समाज में समानता की मांग कर रही थीं जहाँ वह स्पष्ट रूप से मौजूद नहीं थी। उन्हें नीचा दिखाया गया और खलनायक के रूप में पेश किया गया क्योंकि उन्हें एक खतरे के रूप में देखा जाता था।
I can't really speak to what it was like to call yourself a feminist in the past on a personal level but I think calling oneself a feminist in the past may have been inimical because feminists in the '70s were the first to really challenge deeply embedded gender roles and demand concrete political and economic rights. They were asking for rights that seemed like a direct threat to those in power - they were asking for equality in a society that didn't have it in an obvious way. They were put down and villainized because they were seen as threatening.
I can't really speak to what it was like to call yourself a feminist in the past on a personal level but I think calling oneself a feminist in the past may have been inimical because feminists in the '70s were the first to really challenge deeply embedded gender roles and demand concrete political and economic rights. They were asking for rights that seemed like a direct threat to those in power - they were asking for equality in a society that didn't have it in an obvious way. They were put down and villainized because they were seen as threatening.
नारीवाद के संबंध में, मैं बस युवा महिलाओं से यही कहूंगी कि वे इसके प्रति खुला दृष्टिकोण रखें और इसे खारिज करने या इसके बारे में फैली नकारात्मक रूढ़ियों पर विश्वास करने से पहले इसके बारे में जानने की कोशिश करें। नारीवाद व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर आपकी मदद कर सकता है, यह आपको शानदार और जुनूनी लोगों का एक अविश्वसनीय समुदाय प्रदान कर सकता है, और यदि आप खुद को इसके प्रति थोड़ा खोल दें तो यह दुनिया को देखने का आपका नजरिया बदल सकता है। मुझे लगता है कि यही बात अन्य सभी अच्छे कारणों या आंदोलनों पर भी लागू होती है।
In terms of feminism, I would just ask young women to keep an open mind about it and try to learn about it before they write it off or believe the negative stereotypes that surround it. Feminism can help you on a personal level, it can offer you an incredible community of brilliant and impassioned people, and can change the way you see the world if you just open yourself up to it. I think that goes for all causes as well.
In terms of feminism, I would just ask young women to keep an open mind about it and try to learn about it before they write it off or believe the negative stereotypes that surround it. Feminism can help you on a personal level, it can offer you an incredible community of brilliant and impassioned people, and can change the way you see the world if you just open yourself up to it. I think that goes for all causes as well.
मुझे लगता है कि युवा महिलाओं द्वारा खुद को नारीवादी न मानने का एक मुख्य कारण यह है कि वे किसी नारीवादी को नहीं जानतीं और/या यह नहीं जानतीं कि गर्व के साथ नारीवादी कहलाने का असल अर्थ क्या है, क्योंकि उनके पास इसकी कोई सटीक या व्यापक समझ नहीं होती।
I think one of the primary reasons young women don't identify as feminist is because they don't know any feminists and/or don't really have an accurate or comprehensive understanding of what it is - by proudly identifying as a feminist.
I think one of the primary reasons young women don't identify as feminist is because they don't know any feminists and/or don't really have an accurate or comprehensive understanding of what it is - by proudly identifying as a feminist.