Ultra Violet is a place for Indian feminists.
It’s a place for sharing stories and views and questions. It’s a place for exploration, opinion and information (not necessarily in the order). It’s a place where we can come together to understand what other feminists around the country–or around the world–are saying.
If you want to write for UV, please read this.
Ultra Violet does not represent any school, wave, organization, institution or categorization. We do not belong in a box. We do not huddle together in a tank. We do not fly in formation like a flock of geese. We are all free people, approaching feminism from different locations, backgrounds and personalities. The opinions and views expressed here are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of other contributors.
Comments Policy
You’re welcome to leave long, thoughtful comments. You’re welcome to leave multiple comments. Please do not, however, leave lengthy articles or self-promotional stuff in the comments space.
UV is meant to be a safe space for feminists and women who want to know more about feminism. While divergent viewpoints are welcome, please keep the tone respectful. Personal attacks, offensive language and hate speech are not welcome. Misogynist, casteist, communal, homophobic, transphobic and anti-feminist articles or comments will be summarily rejected or deleted. The above when couched in clever language or sophistry will still be rejected or deleted.
Ownership and Copyright
All posts at Ultra Violet belong to the individual authors / contributors. They own all rights to these posts and are free to publish them wherever else they wish to. If you want to use an article that has been posted here, you will need to contact the author for permission. You can write to editor[at]ultraviolet.in and I’ll be happy to help you with the contact details.
[...] About Ultra Violet [...]
Congratulations and welcome to the initiators of what promises to be an exciting new forum! As a once-young feminist I look forward to keeping track of what members of another generation of progressive women is thinking, feeling, doing. I like the name, too. I’m not sure what you had in mind when you picked it (I don’t see that explained anywhere yet — though that could of course be an age thing, both literally and figuratively!) but I’m sure you’ll demonstrate that the days of shrinking violets are over! All the best!
Thank you, Ammu, for those wonderful words of encouragement. They mean a lot coming from you. Also, thanks for the tip — have added a note on the name.
Congratulations and I’m really looking forward to the posts here.
Congratulations for this amazing initiative! As i enter the world of thirties (the new-twenties), its an amazing feeling to see that there is a space which allows me to express what i believe in and propels me to continue believing in myself. As a woman relating to women’s experiences socially, economically, sexually and politically, this is a great site to say it all. May this grow bigger and we have more display of fire from women all across the country. All the best for future.
lovely! i blog on feminist issues myself, and honestly, i didnt see too many other indian femi blogs around
more power to us!
apu
Lovely. will keep coming back here.
Hey hey hey,
Nice work.
Hearty Welcome,
by one who would dream of a magnificent world of mutually caring ones, in which people express and strengthen each other by hearing , making heard and sharing their voices where the concerns of gender matters to the extent of ultimately being able to declare to the whole world that those normative scripts of lives ever lived by men and women have actually been contributing to denial of life.
It’s good to see you here, addressing something so important and so misunderstood. who better than you?!
Glad to have found this page. There can never be enough said/written/known in this context and so I will come back regularly.
I came here through a friend’s recommendation. I will continue to visit as this site resonates with. I will elaborate as I continue to learn more about this website.
beautiful .. excellento.. all the best .. thanks for something that i can refer to all the wonderfl ladies who shaped my life .. so often at thier own cost.
i dont know how i can repay them.. thanks for a lot more that i being a male cannot express as well as females can without words even .. hats off
@The Mad Momma, Anamika, Manju: Welcome! And thanks for stopping by.
Look forward to having you ladies visit again.
@Spacebar, Apu, Ranjani
Great to have you here. Do keep coming back and please be vociferous in the comments section!
@Polecat, Venugopalan, Vaibhav
Thank you!
This coincides exactly with my idea of feminism!! Thanks Dilnavaz, for directing me here. Will definitley keep up with the posts.
@VB: It’s not just about women… please introduce your male friends to this site too
And thanks for dropping in. Come again.
@Cee Kay: Anytime, girl. Glad to see you here.
Nice… I’ll be following this blog with great interest (and commenting if I have anything relevant to say). I’ve added you to my bookmarks. All the best!
It’s so encouraging to read this blog- a purposeful one. Being an NRI indian, it’s one blog i’m going to recommend a magazine here to put in their must visit blogs. The magazine targets Indian expats and is read by many indian women.
Most of whom are of an older generation, and are shrinking violets…and are now raising daughters who are forced to be the same.
Living here away from our motherland, keeps us in a time warp. Most of these mothers still script their daughters into being submissive, citing that thats the way it is done back home.
I know of many a confused female teenager , who is has no idea of her individuality or feminism. They return to India to study, marry and feel out of sync with other girls their age who have grown up in India.
I wish this blog and joint effort all the best!
@John Jacob: Thank you. We look forward to interacting with you.
@Dezann: Having witnessed that kind of retro mindset myself, I agree this space is much-needed by at least some Indians abroad. Do stop by again.
A good space to see people who may have divergent views on feminism itself. It is one of the most misunderstood words and you are right, hope feminism can get the universal appeal that it so requires for it to blossom into a social reality!
hope to read & think & understand a looooooooooot more!
Here is some serious info for you to watch out.
India’s most anti-feminist organisation has its roots in Bangalore. Its goals are to defame feminism in India, through various propaganda methods including trolling. It is growing fast all over India.
It has more than 2500 members in Internet. It has branches in 20 cities in India and foreign countries. It has grown more than 10 times in last 2 years.
The most disturbing news is that the members of this organisation are in communication with anti-feminists in US. Do not under estimate this as they have got many educated women supporting them in spreading anti-feminism.
They have at least 100 websites and blogs.
SIFF
They even have a wikipedia entry.
SIFF in Wiki.
Its time for all feminists to unite and discuss about this serious threat.
It was great to have found you on the web girls. I often write posts raising human rights issues, women’s rights and personal liberties of course are a vital part of it.
I am only writing this message to say kudos! and power to you! BUT ALSO, please, See the page of this girl, who is originally from US and is planning a book on the horrific practice of foeticide in India. Honestly, feminism should be concern no. 2. Concern no. 1 should be the criminal and diabolical practice that kills the girl when she is not even born! Here is the website addy:
http://barbararaisbeck.wordpress.com/
Sincerely,
Ember.
Kudos to UV team!
I came to know abt this thru today’s TOI paper.Its a very good platform to raise the right kind of voice against all atrocities on women. I would recommend it to my male colleagues too as they are the audience for advocacy of women’s rights .
All the Best to UV team!
I have chanced upon this site while searching information on hijras on which I insist to write. This has really given me space and freedom to write on this topic. T he comments are also thought provoking. I will visit and revisit this site.
Hey. It was great to discover this blog. I was googling for some material on dalit women writers and chanced on to your blog.
As a feminist in my early forties, I have often wondered what young indian women feel about feminism these days. So it was great ot find out a community out there. Will keep coming back regularly to keep up with you all.
All the best.
geeta
I landed on this blog from a trail path of Doghi to the LCMD review post. I have been trying to form my views on feminism, and while I know so very little of it yet ..
I probably understand the need for awareness, women are being but fair in asking to be given a choice in things (Everyone likes to have choices after all).
I do hope though that Feminism will be outdated one day soon, and certainly out of fashion sooner.
Regards,
Amar
Asymmetry generally tends to be more useful, while symmetry is definitely more beautiful.
Great blog. Wonderful effort.
It troubles me to have learnt that you don’t have a single male contributor.
Dear friends
a few days ago I’ve read the article about Jalle Siddamma.
It was written by Usha at september 2 2007.
I would like very much to get intouch with her doughter Jade Maadi.
Here in Israel I work with pregnent women and I think that mrs. Maddi can enreach us with her knolege.
so please let me know how to contact Usha or mrs. Maddi.
Thnx. Tsippy Monat. Israel/+972-542070382
Tsippy@monat.co.il
I feel the women are seeds for the maintanance of religion,caste,race,family,etc…,so their freedom is not allowed by these morale police.I feel that unless the women come out of these boundaries,they will be seeds! seeds!! seeds!!!.
I am glad to discover you. The link from the Indian Home Maker brought me here. This is a subject close to my heart.
congratulations, I am a journalist, would love to write for UV…. and be a part of it…
Good job !!! Hats off to u!!
Website: themangalore.com
It is a good forum and a great attempt. I will follow this blog. Hats off to u Anindita. Gud job.
Interesting initiative! Keep going.
I have a question about Ultra Violet, and pardon my ignorance here, but http://youngfeminists.wordpress.com/ IS the previous avatar of you, right?
Keep up the great work!
Love,
DC.