That cliché about women being each other’s worst enemies is caricaturishly true in India. A little girl is schooled on how to be “a good girl” aka someone who does not question tradition, slips into her preassigned gender role with ease, and stays away from those who do not do the same.

Naturally, many of these girls grow up into proud anti-feminists who mock feminism and shun those who live by it. While some women do this because of plain ignorance, some even do it to appear more likable and desirable to current or potential male partners. And then some do it because they are privileged enough to not have faced serious oppression, at least that’s what they think since a lot of us aren’t aware of the many forms of gender discrimination. Some may even want equality yet settle for less due to unconscious bias and internalized misogyny.

No matter what their reason, these are the women who all but shout from the rooftops that they do not need feminism. What’s more, they question the reason for its very existence.

Women don’t have a voice there.

Depends on your cast I suppose. I believe these things take time, there are pockets of women and men who improve these archaic ideas. The important thing is to support it. Don’t you think?

How do you even get to that conclusion?

How unfortunate for Indian women, if that’s true.