Feminism

Will rats be liberated because of cats? Will goats and cocks be liberated because of foxes? Will the wealth of Indians increase because of the British? Will the non-Brahmins attain equality because of the Brahmins? If one thinks over these questions, one can realize the truth.

Even if liberation is somehow attained in these above cases, one firmly believe that women will never attain liberation because of men.

Women shouldn’t forget the fact that the word ‘masculinity’ is itself internationally used in a manner demeaning to women. Women should remember that as long as ‘masculinity’ exists in the world, ‘femininity’ wouldn’t be respected. As long as ‘masculinity’ exists in the world, the enslavement of women will keep increasing. Unless women destroy the concept of ‘masculinity’, it is certain that they will not attain liberation. - Thanthai Periyar (Page 62)

What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun.

With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike.

Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.

For readers of Caste and Radical Dharma, an urgent call to action to end caste apartheid, grounded in Dalit feminist abolition and engaged Buddhism.

“Dalit” is the name that we chose for ourselves when Brahminism declared us “untouchable.” Dalit means broken. Broken by suffering. Broken by caste: the world’s oldest, longest-running dominator system…yet although “Dalit” means broken, it also means resilient.

Despite its ban more than 70 years ago, caste is thriving. Every 15 minutes, a crime is perpetrated against a Dalit person. The average age of death for Dalit women is just 39. And the wreckages of caste are replicated here in the U.S., too—erupting online with rape and death threats, showing up at work, and forcing countless Dalits to live in fear of being outed.

Dalit American activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan puts forth a call to awaken and act, not just for readers in South Asia, but all around the world. She ties Dalit oppression to fights for liberation among Black, Indigenous, Latinx, femme, and Queer communities, examining caste from a feminist, abolitionist, and Dalit Buddhist perspective—and laying bare the grief, trauma, rage, and stolen futures enacted by Brahminical social structures on the caste-oppressed.

Soundararajan’s work includes embodiment exercises, reflections, and meditations to help readers explore their own relationship to caste and marginalization—and to step into their power as healing activists and changemakers. She offers skills for cultivating wellness within dynamics of false separation, sharing how both oppressor and oppressed can heal the wounds of caste and transform collective suffering.

Incisive and urgent, The Trauma of Caste is an activating beacon of healing and liberation, written by one of the world’s most needed voices in the fight to end caste apartheid.

Though sex is considered a ‘dirty’ word in Indian society, the indispensable role it plays in our lives cannot be denied. The Toilet Seat takes a good look at how sex is perceived and portrayed in society, the social stigma attached to sex, especially the premarital and extramarital kind, and the perversions that suppression of sex can cause.

The book reflects upon the grey areas in relationships, the hypocrisy of people and the so-called values that bind people in a knot, redefines perceptions, and dispels myths with respect to love, sex and the female orgasm. It also gives valuable suggestions to improve relationships by understanding the sexual needs of partners and talking about them openly.

Well, what does the title of the book The Toilet Seat have to do with all this? Read on to find out