Even though I have been living for over four years in Canada, I still feel as an immigrant sometimes, though not in a bad way. This is a great country that accepts different cultures and thoughts and celebrates the diversity. However, I believe that you always tend to cling to concepts and beliefs from your culture because it gives you a sense of belonging.
Feminism has been one of those concepts. While growing up in India, I went though a full cycle of being a shy feminist to an assertive brow beating feminist to a sensible pick-your-fight feminist so as to save my energy. However after coming to Canada my feminist urges have been muted because there is almost nothing to fight for over here. Canada is one of the most feminist countries even before we got the "most feminist" prime minister! Even Indian guys after moving to Canada think twice before passing any sexist comments.
In India I was judged if I consumed alcohol at any gatherings. At office, guys would just assume that women in their team don't consume alcohol, although they would ask us in way that we had to say no, like "none of the women in our team drink right? So we will just order for the guys". But in a recent after hour hangout, I was almost going to order a non-alcoholic drink when a colleague (white, female) started about how people in certain cultures are not allowed to drink. And then I had to order a mojito just to prove that Indian women can drink if they want to! :( Both scenarios have irked me in different ways....
In the end, I think it will always be a fight between the burka and the bikini :). However the day women stop judging themselves over the decision they make, thats when true feminsm triumphs.
In the end, I think it will always be a fight between the burka and the bikini :). However the day women stop judging themselves over the decision they make, thats when true feminsm triumphs.
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