By Isha Shresta
The fashion industry has long been dominated by tall, skinny women – often with European features. In fact, more than 70% of models cast for the 2017 Spring fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan were white, per the diversity report by The Fashion Spot. So, when I heard about an up-and-coming Nepali transgender model, I was intrigued.
Continue reading “Nepal’s First Transgender Model”
By Richa Pokhrel/@nepalichoriblog
The first book I have read this year was Good Girls Marry Doctors. It’s an anthology of stories from South Asian women. The theme is obedience and rebellion. There are 26 stories. It’s easy to read the book in one day. Each story is different and each women has their own take on what it means to be obedient and rebellious. I found the book to be about survival, strength, and courage. It gave me comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this. Continue reading “Book Review: Good Girls Marry Doctors”
By Richa Pokhrel/@richapokhrel
I have written a piece before about how we should have more courage to stand up to the atrocities we see in our societies, but lately I have been thinking about battles within our families and communities. Recently when I was at a relatives’ house, their youngest daughter told me a story about her interaction with another male family member. In that story, she said that one of her uncles had asked her to get her something from the kitchen, she said no and told him that he should get it himself. He was an abled bodied man who could get whatever he desired. I was proud of her because she stood her ground. However, it made reflect on conforming and confronting in our families. Continue reading “The Battles We Fight”
For those of you who celebrate, wishing you a beautiful few days! For those of those of you who don’t celebrate, check out our past entries on the holiday.
*Are you celebrating this year? If so, how? If you are not celebrating, what are you doing instead?
By Bandana Upadhya
Marriage has uncovered – with full force – personal vulnerabilities that I had not anticipated. At each step I have been overwhelmed with an intense need to question and subsequently reorganise my sense of personal identity. At the very core of this struggle has been the question of whether or not to adopt my husband’s surname. Continue reading “Diaries of a British-Nepalese Bride: Namesake”
By Richa Pokhrel/@nepalichoriblog
Did you guys read this article about the Pakistani social media star who was killed by her own brother? We women are always cornered into what society wants, what our family wants, mostly what others think we should be. We are and WILL always be judged for what we wear, what we say, what career paths we choose, who we marry, how we raise our kids, how we do our hair, etc. FOR EVERYTHING WE DO. It’s not just men who judge us, we as women heavily judge other women. As a feminist, I think that women should have the CHOICE to be whoever they want, there is no “right” way to be a woman. We may not agree with someone else’s decisions, but if we want to be free women, we need to stop judging others for their choices. Instead taking time to understand why those decisions were made. I am trying to be less judgmental to those who have different values than I do, especially those women who have different political views than me. Continue reading “Don’t Be Afraid To Be Yourself”
By Rhijuta Dahal/@RizDh
I remember the drive vividly, we were on our way to the airport to drop off our late grandparents after their visit. They were talking about everyone they’d met and how hospitable everyone had been. One of them said, when referring to one family in particular, that they must be so dukhi because they only have one daughter. To which I quickly responded, why would they be sad? The daughter brings them just as much joy, they give so much to her, and they probably don’t want a son. My grandfather quoted, “even all fingers on our hands aren’t the same size”. I couldn’t respond back, either by shock or because I have been told to “respect” elders, regardless of whether they are worthy of respect, I don’t know. Continue reading “Swimming Upstream”