I just WON a Tejaswee Rao Blogging Award, and I didn’t even know I was nominated! Thank you, IHM and the community at IHM’s blog, for this wonderful honor. I’m also in the running for a cash prize which I intend to donate to if I win.
[Obligatory SQUEEEEEEEEEE break OMG OMG I won my first blogging award!]
Ahem.
The post for which I won the award (Biology vs. Culture: DEATHMATCH) got me thinking. I’ve quite stopped blogging about feminism here, haven’t I? It’s intentional. And it’s been hard. It’s one of the main reasons why I haven’t been blogging very much, because I so often want to and then I think … oh, don’t want to blog feminism again.
The reason is both ugly and stupid.
Any non-anonymous feminist blogger faces loads of vocal opposition from real-life folks who think feminism is passe or unnecessary or whiny or annoying or strident. It can often get personal: people whose opinions and friendships I value have asked me, “But why are YOU complaining so much when your life is filled with almost too much equality!” And of course my life is positively bursting with privilege so it’s churlish to respond “it is NOT”, and continue blogging as if they never said anything, even if they were completely wrong on many levels to say what they said. It’s so hard to be labeled a bitch by real-life friends! How does anybody navigate that?
That’s the ugly part.
The stupid part is where I censor myself and stop blogging just because some readers responded in a less-than-totally-thrilled fashion. Boo, hiss, get blogging, Nandini, and stop worrying about the critics. Right? I should get that tattooed on the back of my hand so it’s staring at me whenever I start to type.
Oooor I could just look at the shiny new blog award I got, and the seriously awesome post which I got the award for, and use them as both bitch-shield and inspiration to blog a lot more.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the Academy…
Congratulations and thank you for that post. I was delighted when it was chosen because it is my all time favorite post on feminism.
I think those who are living lives full of privilege are the ones who must write about it. They know how good it can be when they are not discriminated against, they know it means they want a better world for everyone.
Also those who are not free often can't blog about it, and many believe discrimination is the only way. Silence can only make injustice stronger.
Congrats. I can empathize with the things you have said here
Congrats girl!
As far as personal lives getting complicated because of feminist blog posts, many people started sympathizing and even commiserating with my husband that he has got such a shrewish wife!
WOOHOO! Congrats! Yeah, screw the haters
Wow this is COOL! Congrats!! didn't know you started blogging again.. abhi mujhe bhi shuru karna padega