Meera thinks that calling someone a “retard” is not so funny when you are at the receiving end, and it constitutes insensitive humour. There is a nice comic on her blog as well!
‘Retardation’ is a condition that people are born with and hence cannot help.
According to me, any casual use of and jokes involving terms [...]
Archive for the 'Prejudice' Category
Stop calling someone a retard
Published by January 26th, 2010 in Art, Health, Prejudice and Society. 3 CommentsSo what if someone is a Ghar-Jawai?
Published by December 13th, 2009 in Gender & Sexuality, Personal, Prejudice and Society. 2 CommentsAnju Gandhi thinks the term “ghar-jamai” and its negative connotation is an anachronism in a so-called gender-equal society:
I think I am drifting from my topic of GHAR JAWAI so coming back to it once again, why not treat the son in law as part of your own, like your son ? Treat him like one [...]
Mumbai belongs to Indians
Published by November 20th, 2009 in Democracy, Politics and Prejudice. 0 CommentsSachin Tendulkar’s comment has generated some controversy (read, some people decided to call it a controversy). Here is what Attitude Speaks has to say about it:
Amitabh Bachchan to Sachin Tendulkar, all have borne the tongue-lashings of this man, who is a self-proclaimed protagonist of the interests of the Marathi “manoos”. Little does he realize that [...]
A very though-provoking article on the Foreign Policy blog about how (or does) writing an article, a short story or a novel in English about India and Indians actually water down the “Indian-ness” of the content:
But the tension has taken on a new form amid the growing appeal of the “global novel” — a story [...]
Janabai, poet for all times
Published by October 17th, 2009 in Caste, Language, Literature, Poetry, Prejudice and Women. 2 CommentsJanabai shares dais with her contemporaries Sant Dynaeshwar and Sant Namdev – poet saints of Maharastra. Her 300 odd abhangs have become part of Namdev’s repertoire of devotional songs to Lord Vittal. Here is one where the Lord Vittal works alongside her. These are not household chores as is usually described for a housemaid. This [...]
The Dalits of Europe
Published by October 15th, 2009 in Activism, Dalit, Human Rights, Prejudice, Racism and World. 0 CommentsJai Bhim Network is a group that is working among the Romas (derogatorily referred as Gypsies) in Hungary. In their effort of creating linkages with the Dalit movement of India and draw inspiration the network has been in constant interaction with many of the young Dalit activists in India. The network is also instrumental in [...]
‘Quality’ and Inclusion
Published by October 12th, 2009 in Adivasi, Caste, Dalit, Education, Politics, Prejudice and Theory. 0 CommentsRama ponders on ‘Quality’ and its western / imperial / colonial, or Brahminical / Manuvadi biases. Very interesting post.
The sociologist, Andre Beteille, delivered a lecture in Calcutta in March which I attended.
He touched upon academic quality versus inclusion (e.g. through reservation or affirmative action), and said quality need not be compromised. At the end of [...]
Open up, India
Published by August 16th, 2009 in India, Indiaspora, Prejudice and Society. 1 CommentThe Psycho Babbler visited India after four and a half years. And she thinks we need to have a more open mind about all the changes happening around us:
Those comments above beat another one hands down made by another friend who thought I should seriously consider “settling down” (aka get married dammit!!!) because who would [...]
You there, Chinky!
Published by August 13th, 2009 in Human Rights, India, North East, Prejudice and Racism. 1 CommentThe collective marginalization of everyone from the North-East of India as “Chinky” is offensive in itself. What adds pain to the misery is when they are assaulted for no other reason than being a “Chinky”. Deke Tourangbam shares some such stories and wants tofight this prejudice:
No matter how much we try to divide within ourselves [...]
On the cusp of change
Published by July 28th, 2009 in Culture, Media, Prejudice and Society. 1 CommentIndian society, everyone seems to proclaim, is on the cusp of change. So Bradhi talks about the recent “debates” over the show, “Sach ka saamna”:
I request our ‘progressive’ media doyens to stop issuing money in the show so as to teach the moral policing backward, idiotic voices. After all every one is for admitting [...]
Stop Homophobia
Published by July 21st, 2009 in Human Rights, LGBT, Prejudice, Society and Violence. 0 CommentsSam talks about the new face of Indian homophobia:
We condemned Aussies when they unleashed racial attacks on Indians. We gasped in horror when we saw how inhumanely the assailers had brought injuries on the victims. Now what do we have to say when Indians themselves are proving that they are no different from those Aussie [...]
Perceptions are tougher to change?
Published by July 5th, 2009 in Human Rights, India, Justice, LGBT, Prejudice and Society. 0 CommentsRituparna Bhowmick asks: will India accept gay couples?
But it’s difficult to predict whether conservative Indians would change their perception of the gay community.
India has traditionally been a study in curious contradictions that are deeply interwoven in its social fabric through centuries. If it is embracing and tolerant of alien customs, it is also proud and [...]
Today is our heritage..
Published by July 2nd, 2009 in Gender & Sexuality, History, Human Rights, India, Justice, LGBT, Prejudice, Regulation and Religion. 5 CommentsDilip says – today gives reason for every Indian to celebrate:
Well, the best news of I don’t know how long is what transpired in the Delhi High Court today. The judges there did overturn Section 377. No longer are our gay brothers and sisters breaking the law by doing what the rest of us do [...]
Proud of the Statues
Published by July 2nd, 2009 in Dalit, Government, History, Justice, Politics, Prejudice and Society. 3 CommentsPrabin tells you why he is proud of Mayawati’s statues:
So I believe, what is disconcerting to the political parties about the statues that Mayawati unveiling and the Memorials she is constructing is not the wastage of precious resource – there are a lot many instances of govt. squandering revenues and tax payers money- but the [...]
LGBT issues
Published by June 28th, 2009 in Gender & Sexuality, Human Rights and Prejudice. 0 CommentsGaybombay is happy that India media is focussing more on LGBT issues- find a compilation of recent news stories in this post.
Silence and resistance
Published by June 25th, 2009 in Caste, Dalit, Feminism, Gender & Sexuality, History, Human Rights, Patriarchy, Politics, Prejudice, Violence and Women. 0 CommentsAnu explains that silence doesn’t mean the absence of resistance:
This on the face of it seems like pretty sound explanation, so with a magic wand if we push the upper caste down the ladder, upper caste men lose their ‘manhood’ when their women are appropriated and humiliated, right? Any caste that finds itself at the [...]
Equal Opportunity Commission
Published by June 24th, 2009 in Activism, Adivasi, Caste, Dalit, Policy, Prejudice and Religion. 0 CommentsTarunabh, of the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion, writes to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, to further the public debate on equality of opportunities.
Seems to me more like an attempt to start a private, exclusive debate among a select group of elites in the academia, lawmakers and the enforcers, among others.
The terrorist in Hindi cinema
Published by June 17th, 2009 in Cinema, Culture, Geopolitics, Government, Human Rights, Politics, Prejudice, Religion, Society, South Asia, Terrorism and Violence. 0 CommentsPurdah is trying to figure out ‘the shifting figure of the terrorist in the Hindi language film industry’:
The military events at Kargil in 1999 launched a slew of Indo-Pakistan war films. A few were romance films on patriotic steroids like Anil Sharma’s Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Yash Chopra’s Veer-Zaara, and Kunal Kohli’s bizarre Fanaa. The [...]
No bias in California
Published by June 11th, 2009 in Books, Indiaspora, Media, Prejudice, Religion and Women. 0 CommentsAn article in this morning’s Times of India is headlined Hindus teach California a lesson, and carries the sub-heading: Group wins $175,000 from state education board for defaming Hinduism. The Sacramento Bee covers the case rather differently; Its headline reads, Hindu group to get just $175,000 in textbook bias suit.
It appears the Bee is right [...]
Under the table
Published by June 10th, 2009 in Dalit, Photography, Prejudice and Society. 1 CommentRahul Pandita explains:
Sunil and Arvind Parmar, owners of a tea stall in Surendranagar, Gujarat, break for lunch while their servant Mangal, an 11-year-old Dalit boy is made to sit under the table.
[via Amitava Kumar].
Different perspectives on the quota
Published by June 8th, 2009 in Dalit, Democracy, India, Patriarchy, Policy, Politics, Prejudice and Women. 1 CommentAbantika Ghosh on the proposed quota for women: Let’s at least have the good sense to feel ashamed of it.
Because in the end the need for women’s reservation arises in the mindset and after all the promises of universal education and compulsory primary education, somehow women, as young girls, always seem to miss out on [...]
Women’s reservations bill
Published by June 7th, 2009 in Democracy, India, Patriarchy, Policy, Politics, Prejudice and Women. 3 CommentsRaghav Parthasarathy thinks this is the right time for the bill:
We recently heard Sharad Yadav saying that he would kill himself if the bill was passed. The BJP has indicated that it is willing to support the bill. Its leader , Shri Advani has clearly indicated that the 15th Lok Sabha will see a new [...]
‘Us’ and ‘Vais’ in the North East
Published by June 3rd, 2009 in Adivasi, Caste, Dalit, India, North East, Prejudice and Racism. 5 CommentsParitosh Chakma says ‘racial discrimination’ thrives within the North East too:
Outsiders (meaning of course long-nose plains people) are called “vais” in Mizoram. “Vai” is a Mizo word and the term is used in contempt towards the people who look “different” from “us” in Mizoram. The people of Mizoram may contest my claim but I have [...]
Cool it please!
Published by June 2nd, 2009 in Human Rights, India, Indiaspora, Media, Prejudice, Racism and World. 1 CommentRajni A.Luthra asks Mediawallahs to cool it please!
Most Indian homes in Australia have had this phone call from concerned family in India by now. “Are you alright? What are they doing to you guys over there?”
It’s almost as if Australian gangs are roaming the trains seeking out Indians to bash up, or roaming the streets [...]
From Paki-bashing to curry-bashing
Published by June 1st, 2009 in Human Rights, Indiaspora, Prejudice and Racism. 3 CommentsWhether they are white teenagers in Melbourne, Victoria, of 2009; white lager louts in Leeds, Yorkshire, of 1990; or son-of-the-soil Marathi-speaking shiv sainiks in Mumbai of the 1970s- Joe Pinto says, all of them are driven to hate by sheer ignorance:
Within the first weeks of shopping in July 1990 at the Leeds city centre, we [...]
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