Freedom and Sexuality

Why Sexuality & Sexual Freedom Need To Be Discussed Beyond Violence Against Women
a bare strip of skin visible right above the jeans of a woman
Why Sexuality & Sexual Freedom Need To Be Discussed Beyond Violence Against Women

By Shruti Arora:  “I’ve never told this to anyone before, but I liked it when he kissed me. I wanted it,…
By Curated Content
December 18, 2017
Why Sexuality & Sexual Freedom Need To Be Discussed Beyond Violence Against Women
We need a sexual revolution in the Middle East – Mona Ethawi
On a foggy winter morning, a woman protestor waves a victory sign, looks upwards, and shouts what could be possibly be a slogan. She wears a pink and white coloured headscarf and a grey coat. There are hoards of other protestors in the background too.
We need a sexual revolution in the Middle East – Mona Ethawi

Mona Eltahawy, author of ‘Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution’, speaks about how any social…
By Curated Content
December 4, 2017
We need a sexual revolution in the Middle East – Mona Ethawi
This Pinup Series Portrays Indian Women (Accurately) As Sexually Liberated Badasses
Nimisha Bhanot's painting titled "Money, Kitty Parties & Clothes Is All A Bahu Knows". A brown woman sits on a stool with her legs crossed, red wine in right hand, and cards in the left. She wears a cut-sleeves lehnga; heavy white jewellery in the neck and wrists; and mehndi in hands, full arms, and feet. The lehnga is pulled-up till the knee, showing her legs. She weas a bindi, a nose ring, and a red lisptick, and is staring straight-ahead expression-less.
This Pinup Series Portrays Indian Women (Accurately) As Sexually Liberated Badasses

“Badass Indian Pinups” – a series of paintings by Indo-Canadian artist Nimisha Bhanot shows Indian women breaking traditional stereotypes. Women…
By Curated Content
December 4, 2017
This Pinup Series Portrays Indian Women (Accurately) As Sexually Liberated Badasses
The Nightmare of Shapewear
Photograph of celebrity Plastic Surgeon Dr Robert Rey's Shapewear range at Target
The Nightmare of Shapewear

Caging the Free Body into a Sexual Silhouette At school, roughly in the 7th grade, we learn about tissues, veins,…
By Rajashree Gandhi
December 4, 2017
The Nightmare of Shapewear
The Blindness to my Desire
A broken piece of copper-shaded lipstick on the right, with lipstick marks of copper and yellow lisptick smudged on the left.
The Blindness to my Desire

I won’t shy away from a kiss, In my head I have already devoured you. I don’t want you to…
By Kajol
December 4, 2017
The Blindness to my Desire
Men hijack women’s happiness and sexuality even in their freest moments: Review of five films released in 2015-17
Scene from a Hindi movie 'Angry Indian Goddesses'. The six protagonists are standing together laughing, in a disco with bright lighting.
Men hijack women’s happiness and sexuality even in their freest moments: Review of five films released in 2015-17

The women in Parched (2015) are sitting and chatting, seemingly free from their daily oppression for once, when a cell…
By Shaifali Agrawal
December 4, 2017
Men hijack women’s happiness and sexuality even in their freest moments: Review of five films released in 2015-17
Interview: Shilpa Phadke
Back profile of two women walking on the street
Interview: Shilpa Phadke

‘Why would you want to loiter?’ is an excellent question to ask feminist researcher, parent, educator and activist Dr. Shilpa…
By Shikha Aleya
December 18, 2017
Interview: Shilpa Phadke
In Latin America, is there a link between abortion rights and democracy?
In Latin America, is there a link between abortion rights and democracy?

Three-quarters of all abortions in Latin America are performed illegally, putting the woman’s life at risk. Together with Africa and…
By Curated Content
December 18, 2017
In Latin America, is there a link between abortion rights and democracy?
Freedom’s Pride: Looking Back Ten Years On
Photo from a queer pride march. We can see the back of two men holding hands. On the back of one's tee shirt is witten "Human rights for all" in caps by a red marker. The photo is cropped such that we can see only their torso and hands. In the background we can see more people walking in the march.
Freedom’s Pride: Looking Back Ten Years On

In 2008, there were two important sets of events that happened: six weeks of intense hearings at the final arguments stage in the Naz Foundation case at the Delhi High Court, where section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was being challenged, and a bunch of folks in Delhi deciding that they were going to organize a Pride March. While these don’t seem obviously connected, they were both expressions of freedom, one in constitutional terms within the courtroom, and the other, a very public expression of freedom, taking to the streets.
By Siddharth Narrain
December 4, 2017
Freedom’s Pride: Looking Back Ten Years On
Freedom and sexuality: walking hand in hand with robots
A human and a robot shaking hands. Only see the hands and arms of both is seen.
Freedom and sexuality: walking hand in hand with robots

Where we are now: In August this year the Supreme Court of India declared that privacy at its core includes…
By Suchitra Dalvie
December 4, 2017
Freedom and sexuality: walking hand in hand with robots
Freedom and an F Word
A hazy black-and-white picture of a branched tree swaying in a storm.
Freedom and an F Word

What do you think of when you put the words freedom and sexuality together? Orgies? Polyamory? Sex with no unwanted…
By Radhika Chandiramani
December 4, 2017
Freedom and an F Word
Editorial: Freedom and Sexuality
A ball made of delicate white threads is lightened up.
Editorial: Freedom and Sexuality

Freedom and sexuality – it sounds so liberating to some. But to some others, freedom is the spark that can…
By TARSHI
December 18, 2017
Editorial: Freedom and Sexuality
A Café of Our Own?: The Politics of Queer Spatiality in Urban India
A Café of Our Own?: The Politics of Queer Spatiality in Urban India

This essay is a brief rumination about queer café’s in urban India. Written as part reflection, part recollection, this essay…
By Swati Vijaya and Debanuj Dasgupta
December 18, 2017
A Café of Our Own?: The Politics of Queer Spatiality in Urban India
100 Women: ‘Disabled women have sexual needs too’
Image copyright MITRA FARAZANDEH
100 Women: ‘Disabled women have sexual needs too’

Up to 10 million people in Iran are living with disabilities, campaigners say, but the culture surrounding the issue is…
By TARSHI
December 18, 2017
100 Women: ‘Disabled women have sexual needs too’
‘From Son to Father’
By: Amateur Pic, Courtesy: PublicDomainPictures.net
‘From Son to Father’

Dear Dad, There are times when I find writing a largely unproductive and tiresome exercise. For much of what is…
By Sahil Sood
December 4, 2017
‘From Son to Father’