It is impressive to witness how modern-day women are challenging societal norms in diverse arenas, and beyond stereotype-breaking these women are ready to conquer the world with their ideas and capabilities.
We have hand-picked the work of some of these contrarians around us, who are breaking the must-be-broken stereotypes around gender equality, sex education and women’s representation in the media. These women are bringing new waves of change in their respective lines of work while helping to shape a new common perspective.
Surabhi Yadav:
Have you ever seen women at leisure? And what does it mean for women to be at leisure?
The founder of this unique and beautiful project “Women at Leisure”, Surabhi Yadav defines it as a beautiful sight of women with their guards down. The project claims leisure for women as a form of feminist liberation where women freely take the ownership of their time to indulge in rest and recreation.
As a social entrepreneur Surbhi’s work extends to running an NGO empowering women from rural India to seek their professional goals through the medium of training and education.
Neha Bhat
In our society, discussing sexuality is often taboo, which leads to victim blaming and suppression. Nonetheless, this has serious impacts on the psychological health of the victims.
Neha Bhat, a psychotherapist specializing in addressing the impact of sexual trauma has a unique approach addressing these cases. Coming from a background of Therapist and Social workers, Neha works with an unorthodox artistic approach that merges art and therapy to assist individuals in overcoming sexual shame.
Through her work, Neha aims to broaden the comprehension of sexual trauma, contributing to a more inclusive understanding of this sensitive issue. Currently, she is focusing on training young therapists with an emphasis on addressing India-specific challenges. This approach aims to provide a more practical and culturally attuned solution for mental health issues, diverging from the Eurocentric approach.
Priyanka Paul
Priyanka Paul, the self-taught illustrator and writer from Mumbai, boldly challenges societal expectations with her art. Based in Mumbai, she confronts gender biases and patriarchal beliefs through the medium of poetry and art. Infused with some humour, her work addresses themes including but not limited to Feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, oppression, sexual liberation and empowerment.
In this very young age, Priyanka is an inspiration for many young adults out there, for expressing her opinions with boldness in such a creative manner. Her controversial work of Goddess Series captured mixed views for the depiction of holy figures, however, the artist’s work is committed to redefine the common stereotypical depictions of the goddesses. Hence sparking conversations about how the female body has always been subjected to Hyper-sexualization resulting in slut shaming and moral policing of those who try to take control of their own bodies.
Zainika Jagasia
Although her passion and work are a great inspiration for many young adults out there, we would like this chance of Women’s Day to present the journey of Zainika, a young baker and an aspiring model.
Despite facing the challenging condition of down syndrome, which is caused due to the presence of an extra chromosome in kids, Zainika aspires to be modelling for the major brands, showcasing absolute resilience.
The condition severely hampers the mental and physical growth of people diagnosed with this condition and it must take an immense amount of courage of the caretakers and the individuals to perform at a level equal to, and in this case, perhaps better than their peers of the same age.
Alongside her modelling aspirations, Zainika's passion for baking shines through her brand, "Homebred by G&Z," co-created with her sister. To support her journey, Zainika undergoes a series of therapies including physical, speech and occupational with great dedication.
While her path may uphold these unique challenges, Zainika is skilfully making her own way in this world, inspiring everyone with her persistence
Paromita Vohra
As an Indian filmmaker and writer, Paromita’s work focuses on feminism, gender and pop culture. It is important to note, she is also the founder of
Her films are thought provoking in a way which challenges conventional roles and expectations of the society and make the viewers question the rules of morality defined as per the society.
Paromita Vohra's role as a filmmaker and writer goes beyond breaking stereotypes by sparking conversations around gender matters, and promoting a culture which embraces inclusivity and progress.
Her films are highly regarded for their thought-provoking narratives, challenging traditional storytelling and offering unique perspectives on contemporary social issues.
Through the art of storytelling, Paromita proves her commitment to empowering women and proving that women in creative fields have a deeper mission adding to the expected responsibilities.
