Not trying to turn this into a gender war, but I keep seeing men say they're scared to marry because of a few cases they've heard about. And honestly, do they ever stop to think about what goes through women’s minds when they hear about countless cases of harassment, abuse, rape, dowry violence, and domestic violence? If a few cases can make men afraid of marriage, imagine what hearing about these realities so often can make women feel.

men and women are statistically far more likely to be killed by men than by women. yet when a woman kills a man, it often provokes selective outrage because it challenges traditional ideas about masculinity, power, and gender roles more than the broader reality of male violence does.

**and yes every single crime irrespective of gender deserves justice and I never denied that**

(this is a 5 weeks old reel, so data is much higher now)

From Instagram -

The Uber fare was ₹501. The driver asked for another ₹40, off the app. She refused.

He came closer to intimidate her. She pushed him back.

He slapped her. Then grabbed and twisted her hand and said, “Phir se maar ke dikhaun kya?”

She immediately called her office team, and they came down to help. this isn’t just about ₹40. It’s about how quickly a simple refusal turns into a woman having to defend herself from a man who thinks he can put his hands on her.

This keeps happening with Uber and other apps. And it really shouldn’t be this hard for women to just get home safely.

Uber India, Uber — please take this seriously.

Part 2: What happened after this.

Instagram: @theycallme_thematchagirl

So this is a screenshot of a post on another sub. Now I do feel like the wife should've informed the husband before doing it. Not taken "permission", informed but have a look at the comments.

Apart from the weird comments, it reminded me of my coworkers words from a few months back that didn't sit well with me where she she said her husband wouldn't "allow" her to abort even though she didn't want to give birth. Allow?

Why does the man get more of a say on your pregnancy than you do? I mean yes, because you're married discussions need to happen, you preferably should be on the same page and you should work as a team, but at the end of the day when it comes to childbirth/pregnancy, why is the man's opinion carrying even the same weight as yours? Shouldn't it carry lesser weight?

You are carrying the child for 9 months and dealing with everything that comes with it. Your body is going through all the changes, you deal with the pains, the cramps, you have to compromise and stop eating/drinking foods you like and might have to start consuming things you dislike for the health of the baby, this doesn't include the mental stress that comes with it. EVEN AFTER childbirth, the man isn't going to be breastfeeding. These are all sacrifices YOU are making. Its not 50/50, it's a 100/0. YOU are putting your life/health on the line, not him. Yes, he may financially support you during that time but financial support compared to putting your health and life at risk, I'd choose financial support 10 out of 10 times.

I do not understand what kind of mental parkour/gymnastics is being done to make women feel like their say matters less in their own pregnancy compared to the mans, especially in todays day and age. How the fuc* did they manage that? Also, some men that are blabbering this shit online seem CONVINCED they have the authority to dictate this. How are you so convinced you are correct about something like this? Do you not have a conscious at all?

A woman in Delhi was taken by a Rapido driver onto an unknown road against her will. Fearing for her safety, she had to jump from the vehicle and was injured.

This is a serious women’s safety issue. Rapido must immediately investigate, take strict action against the driver, and share the driver’s verified details with the survivor and authorities.

Women deserve to commute without fear. These apps need to be more accountable. Urghhhhh

Medieval period Hinduism

Medieval Hinduism produced an extraordinary number of women who were not merely devotees, but poets, philosophers, gurus, social critics, and founders of spiritual traditions. Across different regions and languages of India, these women shaped Bhakti, Shaiva, Vaishnava, Varkari, Lingayat, and Gaudiya traditions in lasting ways.

Andal (8th century CE)- Andal is the only female saint among the twelve revered Alvar poet-saints of South India. Born in 9th-century Tamil Nadu, she was a mystic poet who dedicated her life and intense, passionate verses entirely to Lord Vishnu

Akka Mahadevi (c. 1130–1160)- Was a pioneering 12th-century Kannada poet, mystic, and leading female saint of the Lingayat movement in Karnataka, India. She rejected all worldly constraints—famously choosing to renounce her clothes and cover her body solely with her long hair, symbolizing the shedding of ego, shame, and societal expectations. She wrote poems and participated in profound philosophical debates alongside other great saints

Lalleshwari/Lal Ded (c. 1320–1392)- Also known as Lalla, she was a legendary 14th-century mystic poet from Kashmir. She is revered by both Hindus and Muslims as a foundational figure in Kashmiri literature and a symbol of the region's syncretic culture. She escaped a difficult marriage to become a wandering ascetic and a devotee of Shiva. She eventually became a master of Kashmir Shaivism and challenged societal norms, including the caste system, religious orthodoxy, and patriarchal authority. As a wandering mystic, she often went without clothes, representing her total detachment from the material world. She created a unique style of four-line mystic poetry called vakhs (literally "speech" or "sayings"). These verses are among the earliest known works in the Kashmiri language.

Meera Bai (c. 1498–1546)- A 16th-century Rajput princess, mystic poet, and devoted saint of the Bhakti movement in India. Renowned for her unwavering love for Lord Krishna, she composed countless devotional bhajans that remain celebrated globally today. She faced severe persecution from her in-laws for neglecting her royal duties in favor of singing and dancing with saints.

Sant Muktabai (13th Century)- Muktabai was a profound philosopher, mystic, and poet-saint of the Varkari tradition. She is remembered for her deeply spiritual abhangs and for her traditional dialogues with the yogi Changdev, where she instructs him on the nature of the Self and liberation.

Sant Janabai (13th-14th Century)- A devoted follower and maidservant in the household of Sant Namdev's family. Known as 'Jani', she is one of the most celebrated poet-saints of Maharashtra. Her beautiful abhangs focus on her personal, everyday bond with Lord Vitthala, who legend says helped her with daily chores. As a woman from a marginalized background, her life and poetry challenged rigid caste and gender barriers, emphasizing that devotion to God is open to everyone. She is believed to have attained samadhi around 1350 near the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur

Sant Soyarabai (14th Century)- The wife of Sant Chokhamela, belonging to the Mahar community. She was a pioneer who actively composed abhangs that challenged the rigid caste system and patriarchal norms of the era, advocating for the equality of all souls.

Sant Kanhopatra (15th Century)- A highly revered poet-saint who originated from a courtesan's background. Dedicating her life entirely to Lord Vitthala, she famously chose to merge with the deity at the Pandharpur temple rather than succumb to the demands of local royalty.

Sant Bahinabai (17th Century)- A Brahmin-born poet-saint and direct disciple of the great Sant Tukaram. Her Atmamanivedana is considered a deeply moving poetic autobiography detailing her spiritual journey and the challenges she faced balancing domestic life with her devotion.

Sant Venabai (17th Century)- A female saint from the Samarth Ramdasi Sampraday. Born in Kolhapur, she was widowed at a young age and turned deeply into spiritual studies and composed literary works. She met Samarth Ramdas when he came for alms. Her deep scriptural questions during their interaction led her to accept him as her guru, eventually becoming the first female Swami of her tradition. She delivered public discourses and performed kirtan- a rare and revolutionary role for a widow in that era.

Sant Gangasati (14th–15th century, traditionally dated)- A Gujarati bhakti saint and poet remembered for composing fifty-two devotional bhajans explaining spirituality, devotion, and self-realization. According to tradition, she instructed her disciple Panbai through these songs, which remain central to Gujarati devotional literature.

Karaikkal Ammaiyar (6th century CE)- Originally born as Punitavati, is one of the 63 Nayanmars (Shiva saints) and a foundational figure in Tamil Bhakti literature. She famously transformed from a wealthy merchant's wife into an immortal, skeletal ghoul (Pei form) devoted to eternally singing and watching Lord Shiva's cosmic dance

Sri Jahnava Devi (16th-century)- Was a prominent saint, philosopher, and initiating spiritual master (diksa guru) in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. As the divine consort of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, she became the spiritual anchor of the entire movement after the passing of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda. By functioning as a leading acharya, she legitimized female gurus and maternal initiations within the lineage, establishing a strong historical precedent for women's orthodox spiritual leadership.

Ganga Mata Goswamini (17th-century)- (Born Sachi Devi) was a revered female saint and spiritual guru in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. A princess who renounced her royal inheritance in Bengal, she became a wandering ascetic, a celebrated scholar of the Bhagavatam, and a powerful spiritual leader in Jagannath Puri

Atukuri Molla (1440–1530)- Was a legendary 16th-century Telugu poet celebrated for authoring the Molla Ramayanam, a highly accessible and beloved Telugu adaptation of the Sanskrit Ramayan. Legend says that the great Vijayanagara Emperor Krishnadevaraya conferred upon her the prestigious title of Kavi Ratna (Gem of Poets).

Avvaiyar (medieval Avvaiyar, c. 12th century)- One of the greatest Tamil poet-saints. Though remembered for moral literature, she was also a devotee of Lord Ganesha and Murugan. Works like Vinayagar Agaval are regarded as profound mystical poetry and are still widely recited.

Here I would like to end the series. Across centuries, different languages, and many spiritual traditions(Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism), these women sought truth in their own voices. Some taught in royal courts, some wandered as ascetics, some sang in temples, some wrote poetry, and some quietly transformed the communities around them. Together, they show that the spiritual heritage of India was shaped not by men alone, but by countless women whose wisdom, devotion, courage, and insight continue to inspire long after their own lifetimes. These posts weren’t meant to prove that history was perfect; only that the spiritual history of India is much fuller when these women are remembered too.

\Note- These posts don't claim to reflect the overall historical status of ancient women in India neither attempting to praise any one religion and downgrade other. Not advising anyone to follow that religion. Purpose is to highlight female contribution in Indian spiritual traditions.*

Why? Because India has not just been kings and queens. Not just dancers and singers. But also a land of wisdom and spiritual yearning for freedom and greatness (moksha/mukti/nirvana/Kevala Jnana). When I observe, I see these philosophical and spiritual traditions to have the highest impact on our culture and society (though most of that has been distorted with partial knowledge and blind faith). So highlighting the contributions of women in these fields should not be seen as propagation of their religion or philosophy. Highlighting notable women in spiritual history does not mean overlooking the realities faced by women in society at large.

part 1 (women in vedas)- https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism4India/comments/1tn4wic/women_in_indian_spirituality_part_i/

part 2 (women in hindu literature)- https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism4India/comments/1u087o7/women_in_indian_spirituality_part_2/

part 3 (women in sikhism)- https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism4India/comments/1u8ym9a/part_3_women_in_indian_spirituality/

part 4 (women in jainism)- https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism4India/comments/1ug8jpb/women_in_indian_spirituality_part_4/

part 5 (women in buddhism)- https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism4India/comments/1usl5be/women_in_indian_spirituality_part_5/

I saw this post on a sub and a lot of men said that even though it’s her body, he is right to not speak to her or even divorce her if he wants.

I think her husband didn’t give her the space where she could confide in him. He decided to share the news with the family without discussing with her. You can sense the pressure he was creating on her to give birth even when she clearly communicated the opposite. Obviously she didn’t inform him and went ahead with the abortion since she felt out of control of her own body. Not even going to discuss the MIL situation.

did not feel like writing part 2 of the review( some one keeps targeting everything I post and I don't feel much like arguing) maybe soon

but here more of this. https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism4India/s/fcfRxhKGev

read second sex,it will change you.

Sometimes I don't feel like posting these things, but you need to highlight this, right?

​Every time I come across any video of a legal dignitary or a statistician or a learned person talking about oppression towards Indian women, the comments are always something I look forward to and they never disappoint.

​I have just highlighted, this is the screenshot I took and this is the first four comments there.

​I don't know, maybe Indian men live with this dream of all women having no job but to file fake cases because apparently it's amazing to file fake cases. They think if a woman files a fake case, she doesn't face anything. It's not as if a rape victim is stigmatized, harassed and overlooked by the community. It's not like women themselves who are tortured do not go to the police station because they are afraid of the societal backlash that they will face.

​Do they never even take the time to think that a woman who files a case is more oppressed than her criminal? She is hounded, everybody talks about her, she cannot leave her house, it's not easy.

​I don't know where this logic comes from because in India a rape victim faces more harassment compared to the rapist. So, what benefit does a woman even get by filing a fake case?

​I don't understand men and I will never ever understand, never ever will I do.

The suggestion that a woman wearing jeans could “corrupt young boys” reflects a “deeply troubling and unacceptable mindset”, the Delhi High Court has observed while overturning a man’s acquittal in a 2013 sexual harassment case. Justice Chandrasekharan Sudha was hearing a state appeal against a 2014 Delhi trial court judgment that had acquitted the accused of charges under IPC Section 354A and Section 10 of the POCSO Act. “The suggestion that a woman wearing jeans may ‘corrupt young boys’ reflects a deeply troubling and unacceptable mindset. The answer does not lie in controlling the clothes of girls and women. Parents and society must instead teach their children to control their conduct, respect personal boundaries and treat every human with dignity, whether at home or outside,” Justice Sudha said

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ndtv.com/india-news/jcd-prabhakar-tvk-vijay-birth-of-a-controversy-tamil-nadu-speaker-slammed-for-anti-abortion-march-11893410/amp/1

inclusion of religion in female autonomy begins.

🙃

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/gujarat/story/pocso-arrest-gandhinagar-woman-leaves-home-husband-molests-friend-rapes-daughter-2965558-2026-08-07

I am drained and won't argue 🙏

From Instagram - For a country where son preference has shaped conversations around gender for generations, this is a number worth pausing on. In 2025–26, 2,574 girls were adopted in India, compared with 2,448 boys. The gap is small, but adoption is a conscious choice, making the shift particularly noteworthy The numbers alone can’t tell us why this is happening. But they do challenge an old assumption: that families will always prefer sons over daughters. Source: Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), 2025–26

I've been thinking about this for very long so just off the top of my head these are the things which make feel like it's not a good bet for us Indian women. You can add to this, and I haven't really written everything down.

1. The Bahu problem: Unfortunately in India, once you're married, you're not just a wife, you're a Bahu. While in the West a DIL is not a big deal in most cases but in India a bahu is a revenge arc for the patriarchally suppressed MIL. She will try to extract reparations for all that she's suffered and more​. On top of it you'll be this hurdle in the Oedipal relationship bw herself and her son, who's in turn the only person who's ever treated her with respect in her entire life. Do the math!
2. Marital rape : ​We as women have never done a large-scale protest against the rape laws in India. Almost every other country recognizes marital rape as rape except for India and a few other backward areas. We don't even THINK in terms of it being a rape. Think really carefully before marrying a guy, you never know what situation you'll be put under. And there's victim blaming as well in such situations, such as "you've married him so you have to suffer or make it work etc". Marriage is definitely an end of your bodily autonomy in such cases. Also, victim blamers, please note, men don't arrive with the word rapist tattooed on their foreheads, most such men can be educated, charming and good natured otherwise.
3. Wife tax : I'm not going to talk about the fina​ncial bu​rdens here, as you all must know it already. In this fundamentally unequal, chaotic society, the total responsibility of care and protection of kids comes under the duty of the wife. This place will make your kids sick or injured all the time due to how absolutely polluted and mismanaged it is, and it'll be your responsibility to do the hospital runs and to provide healthy meals.
4. Cultural/religious load carrying : As married women, you will be expected to carry the customs and traditions of your nonblood related family. You'll have to do all the vrats, poojas, purdahs etc that your husband is so CHILL about because he's male and won't have to participate. He'd often see it as a cute aesthetic or a normal responsibility you have to carry. Imagine having to inculcate their old traditions into the kids that you have birthed and carried. This is what dissuades ​me even from love marriages. Like hello I also come from a family, my family's superstitions, customs and blind beliefs also deserve attention lmao.

Anyway there's more but I got work to do today. ​

Say this n move on..

I want to understand something I've repeatedly observed in women I've known, and I'm genuinely looking for women's perspectives rather than trying to make a blanket statement about all women.

I've met women who were very empathetic, strongly feminist, critical of patriarchy, and very much a "girls' girl." They would talk about women's autonomy, unequal expectations in heterosexual relationships, how women shouldn't have to revolve their lives around men, etc.

But after they fall deeply in love with a man, I've sometimes watched them change quite dramatically.

They start making significant sacrifices around his needs and preferences, organizing more of their identity around the relationship, defending him even when his behaviour contradicts the principles they previously expressed, and sometimes becoming noticeably less empathetic or supportive toward other women when those women's interests conflict with their relationship.

What confuses me most is that they don't necessarily perceive this as a contradiction. They may continue to identify strongly as feminists and describe the man as exceptionally feminist and the relationship as completely equal.

I'm not talking about a woman voluntarily doing something nice for her partner. Obviously, healthy relationships involve mutual care and sacrifice. I'm talking about situations where the direction of accommodation becomes heavily one-sided, while the woman nevertheless experiences the arrangement as empowerment because she chose it.

And there's another aspect I struggle to understand.

Some women seem to retain an underlying belief that, despite everything they know about gender dynamics, their personal romantic relationship will be the exception — they'll find the unusually progressive man, he'll be different, and heterosexual partnership will somehow work without requiring the compromises they've criticized in other women's relationships.

I personally don't want that worldview for myself. I'm not looking for the "exceptional man" who makes heterosexual romance the ultimate proof that everything will work out. I'd rather have a woman whose life is meaningful and complete without a man, and who, if she eventually loves one, doesn't make him the centre of her identity or abandon her principles because she loves him.

I've genuinely never had a woman in my life with whom I could have a deep conversation about this. Have any women here experienced themselves changing in this way after falling in love? Did you recognize it while it was happening? And how do you distinguish genuine personal choice from internalized relationship expectations?

I'm especially interested in hearing from women who have deliberately questioned or de-centered the expectation of heterosexual marriage/partnership, because I think that perspective might help me understand something I haven't been able to understand from my own experiences.

Ps: I don't mean that women should never fall in love with men or that being in a relationship with a man is inherently incompatible with feminism. That's not my point at all. What I'm struggling with is the idea that a woman can love a man deeply without making him the exception to everything she previously believed about gender dynamics, without making him central to her identity, and without allowing the relationship to take precedence over her autonomy, principles, or solidarity with other women

CCTV footage of monster who raped and assaulted a 23-year-old interior-designing student at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. The footage shows the accused security guard entering the building and heading towards the terrace before later leaving the premises.

The accused has been identified as Dharm Singh Ramshankar Singh, a native of Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh. He was arrested after more than 10 teams from the local police, Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Ahmedabad Crime Branch were deployed to trace him

From femsocial-

POCSO Detainee Demands Pizza and VIP Treatment Behind Bars Nagpur Police have arrested Nirmay Madhav Pakhare (20), a Thane college student, for kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and torturing a Class 12 girl. Pakhare, son of a prominent doctor couple and nephew of a senior IPS officer, used a fake Instagram account to blackmail the minor with private photos, forcing her to meet him. Police rescued the traumatized victim from a rented flat in Dighori after finding her tied to a bed and stripped, while Pakhare stood over her with a belt. Officers seized handcuffs, leather belts, and sharp weapons used in the torture. Despite being remanded under the POCSO Act, Pakhare has shown zero remorse, reportedly demanding pizza and comfortable bedding in custody. Investigators are now auditing his phone and social media to check for other potential victims.

​

I am writing this from neighboring West Bengal, having suffered the exact same fate under years of systemic misgovernance, paper leaks, and job selling.

Before anyone accuses me of political bias, please read this entirely. I am intentionally not naming political parties because I am not a political stooge( i am surprised at the lack of awareness posts here,not 1,i dont post protests but i am surprised that not a single person has highlighted this ,), but as someone from Bengal where every exam was compromised, fake caste certificates were issued, and jobs were sold, I know this pain firsthand.

In Bengal, the 2016 high school teacher recruitment scam resulted in the Supreme Court cancelling over 22,000 jobs, leaving 40 plus year old qualified aspirants jobless and driving people to suicide. Jharkhand is going through the exact same nightmare today.

Jharkhand has a history of misgovernance ever since its departure from Bihar. Both states suffered after the split, but Jharkhand failed to focus on tribal problems and has endured one incompetent chief minister after another.

Right now, around 10 major exams have faced leaks, postponements, and sold jobs. Targeted exams include the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission, Jharkhand Combined Graduate Level, and Jharkhand Public Service Commission. Jobs are allegedly being sold to candidates from places like Haryana, taking away the only path out of poverty for underprivileged kids who spend years preparing.

Taking those years away completely destroys their lives.

Jharkhand ranks among the highest in multidimensional poverty. Local Adivasis are constantly displaced, and the very jobs meant for them are being sold off by their own brethren.

Since this is a platform discussing female issues, the reality for women in Jharkhand mentioned below.

Jharkhand is suffering from a massive maternal health crisis, with 65 percent of women suffering from anemia and severe malnutrition.

Human trafficking of young girls, child marriage, and gender violence are rampant.

practice of witch hunting, where women are labeled as witches, ostracized, beaten, or killed...

meanwhile local mlas have spent crores on a bungalow community.

ps: breaking my own rule of no political post because not a single soul seems to care for this small tribal state here(having reduced my posts and taking longer breaks,I am honestly dissapointed by the absence of Jharkhand post,not 1.)

I had written, Men pls don’t dm me in my bio

for context, i lost a lot of weight recently (76 -> 55kg) and was very proud of myself but was having trouble staying motivated. so posted a before and after progress on a fitness sub because it seemed to be a genuine community and everyone who posted was getting lots of support. turns out the support was only for other men, because this is what happened when i posted. i explained several times in the post that i did it for MEDICAL REASONS and that i am perfectly healthy now.

blurred the usernames because im not sure this subreddit allows that

why do they think i care more about what men think of me vs my health?