4 Reasons For You To Come Out Of Your Closet

It’s been a week since same sex marriage has been legalized in all 50 states of the US and being an avid supporter of LGBT rights I too have used the rainbow filter on my facebook profile picture! I mean how far can I really go? It’s still a criminal offence in India! However there’s hope for sure: most Indians have this weird habit of aping the west.

 

I know lots of people who (literally) shudder at the very mention of same sex couples. Others don’t tremble but are either equally uncomfortable or just plain stubborn. They have shut themselves inside ancient closets which are constricting their minds and in the process asphyxiating the people with other sexual orientations. I firmly believe that these biased friends of mine are the ones who actually need to “come out” of their closets and embrace the world with an open mind and stop imposing their views on others. To those friends of mine who are still struggling to accept these changes, I promise you, we won’t judge you the way you judged us. We won’t try to change you, the way you wanted to change us. You are important to us and being accepted by you really matters to us.

Here are some common arguments that people against marriage equality use. These arguments are simply baseless and illogical. I’ll tell you how:

1. Being gay is not natural: You know what’s not natural? The house that you live in, the clothes that you wear, the food that you eat, all those gadgets that you can’t live without! A person’s sexual orientation on the other hand is something that they are born with or relate to and even though it’s not natural to you, it’s probably the biggest part of someone else’s identity.
2. Seeing gay couples will make people gay: Hanging out with smart people doesn’t make a perpetually dumb person smart. Hanging out with men won’t make me a man. Hanging out with a nightingale won’t make a donkey a singer. Similarly, hanging out with homosexual or bisexual or transgender people won’t alter your sexual orientation. And if it does, you can start hanging out with the heterosexual cisgender people; that will definitely reverse all the previous changes.
3. Gay people raise gay children: Then you have nothing to worry about, right? Because straight people like you will definitely raise straight children; doctors will raise doctors, lawyers will raise lawyers, actors will raise actors, writers will raise writers, sweepers will raise sweepers, criminals will raise criminals and obviously there will always be a balance in lifestyle.
4. Same sex marriage won’t produce children: Firstly, reproduction is not the only reason for which two people decide to spend their life together. Secondly, have you heard of adoption? You know, it’s the process where children (produced by the sexual union of a man and a woman), who are often disowned or left by their “straight” parents, find new parents and a new home. And thirdly, transgender woman froze her sperms so she could have a baby once she totally transformed into a woman, and there are other examples too.

And once again I have come towards the end of my blog post. Do hit a like if you think this makes sense or you could give a +1 on g+. You could always comment and tell me what other baseless argument you have come across. And if you don’t agree with my views you can always let me know through your comments. You can also give your valuable suggestions.

10 Annoying Things That Men Do

No offence to all the wonderful men in my life and the ones yet to come, but sometimes we need a break from all your idiosyncrasies which we otherwise put up with every single day. I’m not saying that women are perfect; we also have peculiar habits that men probably put up with, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Today some of you would probably agree with me when I list out a few things which men does all the time and that really gets on our nerves:

1. Leave us hanging! Just when we are feeling bored this text from him suddenly brings us alive, “Hey what’s up?” And then? Nothing! He’s gone for hours without even responding, just like that!
   
2. Not asking the question and leaving everything to speculation. For example, “I was meaning to ask you something.” “Yeah, go ahead.” “No, leave it!” I mean what? The curiosity alone is going to kill us, do you men know that?
   
3. It’s perfectly viable if they need to have some alone time with their male buddies and beer, video games and sports but the moment we need some of that, they are all jealous and over possessive. I mean what do you think; we’ll start a freaking pillow fight orgy?
   
4. Their obsession with our phone! It’s unbelievable; DO NOT touch our phones, not even to play games!
   
5. Their weird fetishes! Men have all these weird fantasies and obsessions and they expect us to play along with them. And if we don’t, then we are just not sporty enough or adventurous enough!
   
6. Being emotionless robots. Shutting us out just to put up the “Oh I’m so tough” act. I mean, you are human, not a rock, we understand that you have emotions too; so just show them. If you don’t share your feelings with us, fine. But don’t expect us to confide in you either!
   
7. Being offensive! This one by far is the most annoying. They’ll make derogatory comments about things or people important to us just to taunt us and forget where to draw the line. And what next? They’ll blame us for lacking humor!
   
8. “Smile”. Well not all of them say this but that’s what they all want. We just can’t be human with a variety of emotions; for their sake we always to fix on our best smiles. Why? Because we light up their world and their mood with it; that’s what we are, mood enhancers! If we still decide to act all grumpy then it’s not long before they pose their obvious questions, “Are you on your periods?”
   
9. Pretending like they are doing us a favor! They want us to be grateful to them for being good to us. “C’mon! I know nobody else hits on you.” There; he just said it, what the hell? It’s extremely annoying when they take our courtesy for granted and use it to boost their ego.
   
10. Their impromptu plans and their expectation from us to indulge them! For God’s sake, not all women like surprises! I mean if you do not give us a detailed description of your plans, how on earth are we supposed to know whether we are dressed for the occasion or not?
    

That's all for the day. If you agree with me please hit a like or give this a +1 on g+. If you think I have missed out on some vital points, then please leave a comment. Also if you have suggestions about upcoming blog posts you can leave me a comment or a message.

7 Indian Brands for LGBT

In 2009, Delhi’s High Court struck down Section 377 of the Indian constitution, an anti-sodomy law from when India was under British Rule. But the freedom was short lived when on 11th December, 2013, the Supreme Court of India reinstated it and thus re-criminalized same sex relationships in India. The LGBT community and their supporters (obviously) were offended and took to the streets or to the social media to express their outrage. It is overwhelming when famous brands take matters into their own hands and fearlessly express their disagreement of such clear disrespect for human rights.

1. Amul is one of the biggest and oldest food brands in India and their mascot, the Amul girl has been commenting on topical Indian issues and capturing the spirit of India charmingly.
   
2. Tanishq, a leading jewelry brand in India, won our hearts with their groundbreaking advertising. This one is in support of the LGBT community.
   
3. Fastrack, a popular youth fashion brand in India is known for it's risky and unconventional campaign, "move on". This poster says it all:
   
   Fastrack also released a commercial featuring two girls emerging from a closet which was an "extremely rare instance of showing lesbians in mainstream Indian media", probably one of the firsts. But personally, I'm not a big fan of the idea to move on so easily. Anyway:
4. Allen Solly, a two-decade old men's fashion brand headed by one of India's biggest industrial houses, also came out in support of the LGBT community:
   
   
5. Hidesign, a homegrown luxury goods brand shared this post in support of repealing section 377 of the Indian Penal Code:
   
   
6. Hindustan Times, one of India's oldest English daily newspaper, came out with this wonderful commercial to inspire an open-minded individual:
   
   
   
7. Anouk, an ethnic wear brand, retailed on fashion portal Myntra, has released a series of commercials upholding the idea "Bold is Beautiful". Although a bit too long to be classified as an ad, this one features a lesbian couple expecting a visit from their parents and I have to admit, it made me cry a little.
   
   

It is shameful that the world's largest democracy considers love a crime! In a country where marital rape is still rampant, consensual sex between adults of the same gender is frowned upon and in fact considered a sickness. When brands and powerful individuals come forward to disagree with such baseless laws, it encourages the common people to think out of their boxes. If you agree with me, hit a like or just +1 it on Google. If you don't, even better, I love a good debate: so please leave a comment.

Slut's The Word!

In most of my blog posts, I'm usually speaking my mind out, giving my opinion on every topic that interests me. When a woman does that she often earns a lot of titles, such as bitch, cunt or SLUT! For a change, today I'm not here to impose my views on anyone and instead just present certain facts that might interest you. As the title suggests, I'm going to tell you about the origin of our very favourite word, "SLUT":

1. Did you know that the very first sluts were men? Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales between 1387 and 1400. The word "slut" was first used there to describe a man who was a sloppy dresser and hence didn't have much luck with women.
2. By the 15th century "slut" became a term that was applied for women, specifically poor women and housemaids who had low standards of cleanliness and hence weren't particularly good at keeping the house clean. In fact, dust bunnies were referred to as slut's wool and the old school slang for garbage can was slut's hole. In olden days this was a very sexist and classist remark - if you are a low-income woman and you can't even keep your house clean, then why the hell do you exist? Still not believable, right?
3. "Slut" was used mainly for low-income white women. But very soon it was assumed that black women were not very good at keeping their houses clean with the meager income. However society's excessive sexualisation of black women soon resulted in "slut" being exclusively used to describe them - hence the racist connotation of the word!
4. The ratification of the 19th amendment in the US around the 1920's gave women the right to vote. Around the 1980's there was an exponential rise in the number of US women joining workforce. Do you know which words' usage also increased during this period? "Slut" and "bitch"! If a woman is strong or independent, she's by default a SLUT!
5. Recent studies have shown that today girls slut-shame other girls much more than guys do. It is ugly and unbelievable how harshly a girl judges another girl. That same girl won't mind a flirty guy and might in fact defend him saying that there's nothing wrong about it. Girls also do this to higher their social status by belittling other girls.

The Oxford Dictionary says that a slut is a woman with many casual sex partners. Nowadays many women try to justify their frivolous habits by calling themselves sluts and how it's an attitude that they are proud of. But the fact is that whenever we use the word slut to derogate someone or to break down their social image, we are actually bringing back the history of sexism, classism and racism. An old classmate just uploaded her relationship status on facebook again, what a SLUT!

Dance in the Dark

I am a fat girl, almost always have been one. And as a result of my fatness I have often been a victim of body shaming. Naturally I'm against body shaming in general. Phrases like "Real men like curves, only dogs go for bones" sound like a really witty comeback to people who go around giving free unwanted advice on how to lose weight. However, I do not think such statements are cool because those are forms of body shaming too!

Fat-shaming is wrong but that doesn't mean that thin-shaming can rectify it. If you believe that every body type is beautiful, then it is extremely hypocritical if you start calling thin people "skinny" or compare them to bones! "Real women have curves" - I mean how ridiculous is that? A curvy woman has curves, period. A thin tall woman might not have curves but that doesn't make her any less of a woman, and definitely doesn't make her imaginary. She's just as real as every other woman. Her body is beautiful too. Please stop comparing your body to meat and bones meant for male consumption. Stop calling her "Anorexic" if you do not like being called "Obese". Neither anorexia nor obesity is something you should be proud of. Being healthy is what's important. But ridiculing or humiliating others' bodies to feel good about yourself is plain selfish and cowardly. Fat-shaming is just another form of bullying.

However I must say, thin-shaming and fat-shaming are a world apart and one isn't the exact opposite of the other. Skinny-shaming is more like a defense mechanism that works for the fat people. It's a mode for them to lash out at people who try to oppress them because of their body type. Who wouldn't love to give an appropriate comeback to bullies? Fat-shaming on the other hand is a crude mixture of sexism as well as fat-phobia. We live in a world that idolizes thin bodies while demonizing fat ones. A skinny woman wouldn't really have to give up her favorite food to match society's standards of beauty since she is the standard. A thin woman wouldn't have to enter a shop and leave empty handed because nothing fits her; clothes are made keeping her body type in mind. "You have put on some weight" isn't usually considered to be a compliment and seldom does a woman look too thin to wear certain clothes. Skinny-shaming is wrong but I personally do not think that it is oppressive because it's not possible to oppress people who have social power.

I have come towards the end of my blog post. Since this is a sensitive topic I would love to know what you think about this, irrespective of whether you agree or disagree. Leave a comment if you feel comfortable. If you liked it, you may give me a +1 or share it further. I'll be back next Friday. If you have suggestions for upcoming blog posts you may leave a comment.

13 Reasons Why You Must Watch Game Of Thrones Even If It's Not Your Thing

There's a reason why Game of Thrones have become the most watched and enjoyed show of HBO. Here's 13 reasons why you must watch Game of Thrones if you haven't already.

1.       Never Been Done Before

Think of all the series you can think of from different genres, and then think again. You simply won’t find another fantasy series with politics, sex, violence, mythical creatures, swordfights, varied landscapes and medieval humor stuffed in perfect proportions to leave you mesmerized and wanting more even after it gives you a complete package.

2.       Politics

Like other series (Say, House of Cards), Game of Thrones is also about politics. It’s the struggle to be the most powerful man (or woman) of Westeros by earning the Iron Throne. In a country like India, who knew that fantasy politics would be so enthralling that it could capture the minds of thousands of people!

3.       Casting

I think it’s a unanimous view that the casting for GOT is perfect. Be it Peter Dinklage as the imp, Jason Momoa as tribe leader Khal Drogo, Maisie Williams as the young bold Arya or Gwendoline Christie as the beastly Brienne, nobody else could have done the roles better justice than the ones already playing it. Even the child actors are wonderful! And I’m not talking about them being cute or witty - the characters of the children are equally complex and they portray these characters with utmost perfection.

4.       Character Complexity

Every character has something to offer to the storyline and the concept of good and bad is vague as they keep merging into each other beautifully. Someone who seems really evil at first wins our heart by some good deed soon enough whereas a seemingly harmless person might turn out to be the shrewdest of them all. Everyone has a story. Every person has reasons to do whatever they do. Everyone has flaws, nobody is perfect.

5.       Absence of Archetype

Nothing is as it seems. Tyrion, the dwarf seems like someone who will be used as a comic relief, but he turns out to be among the most complex characters who is an unusually witty man with a good conscience although a ‘whoring’ drunk. Daenerys, a weak princess is married off to a tribe king but she soon uses her situation to her advantage and ends up a leader herself and conquers vast lands and commands huge armies!

6.       Level of detail

The amount of thought given to the characters, the costumes, the topographies of the different kingdoms, the language is stupendous. A glance at any of the above is enough to let the viewers know where they are or where the characters are from. Developing the Dothraki language itself and learning it indicates how passionate the crew is and how they pay attention to the tiniest detail.

7.       Unexpectedness

This by far is the best thing about GOT. Twists get a whole new meaning in here. Just when you think you are starting to figure it out, an abrupt change completely blows you of your track. Important characters are killed abruptly at the height of their popularity. People make unexpected decisions which change the complete course of action leaving the viewers baffled.

8.       Dialogues

If you are a fan of quirky conversations, witty comebacks and riddled exchanges then GOT is for you. The wide range of accents and languages is what makes GOT so authentic, believable and every linguist’s dream come true. Tyrion’s witty tantrums and anecdotes are my personal favorites. His mocking of Joffrey and his trial speech are probably some of the best dialogues ever!

9.       Sex

Although I haven’t followed many series, I think GOT is among the most explicit ones when it comes to portraying nudity. You might say that it’s just porn, but no! The sexual scenes are so much more. Sometimes they are used to denote the relationship between two people but in here it serves mostly as an exposition scene where characters through their conversation (before, after or during sex)explain their schemes, what they are doing to whom and why.

10.   Violence

The violence, gore and tortures are not only graphic but also inventive and well executed. Be it pouring molten gold over the head, or squeezing it till it crushes, or a painful death by slow poisoning or the classic rat torture, GOT gives Violence a whole new meaning on screen and is not meant for the lily-livered.

11.   Mythical creatures

This part of the series indeed excites the child in us. Dragons are portrayed as the untamable and vicious creatures they are, and who wouldn’t love to tame a majestic dire wolf after watching GOT, not everyone is as lucky as Sophie Turner! If you are into zombies, then the white-walkers would definitely catch your attention and so will the creepy Children of the Forest. The reason why the presence of these mythical creatures is enjoyed so much is that they are not overused but just whenever necessary.

12.   Landscape

One has to agree that the audience is taken on a wonderful journey in every episode through the stunning locations in Northern Ireland, Croatia, Morocco and Iceland. The breath taking scenario is to die for and has also hiked the tourism in those regions. The landscapes selected for every shot is pure perfection.

13.   Music

There’s absolutely no doubt that Ramin Djawadi has done a highly admirable job in composing the theme track of GOT. There’s no reason to not be in love with the drums and cello as the map unfolds the various locations the episode is going to explore. The music is captivating and addictive.

I know that this one has been a bit too long. But thank you for staying with me. If you like it, then you can give it a +1 right beside the heading above . Do leave a comment.

7 Tips on How To Be A Bad Blogger

It's Friday again and today I'm here with some advice which one must follow to become a bad blogger. Unfortunately, in the short while I have been blogging, I didn't have the time to test the effectiveness of every tip - but I'm fairly sure these will help:

1. Check the stats and comment section of your blog multiple times a day. If the stats are lower than your expectations (which usually is the case for new bloggers), then half the work is done right there. You lose the zeal and excitement needed to proceed.
2. Never proofread your blog before posting it. A blog post bombarded with overuse of flowery words and littered with grammatical errors and typos is the perfect concoction that drives away readers. Sprinkle it with an unclear train of thoughts and Voila!
3. Use boring titles, especially ones that do not clearly denote what your post is about. The first thing that a reader sees in your post is the title. Depending on its attractive power, the reader will decide whether to go for it or give it a miss. Hence this is one is pretty important.
4. The length of the post is also very important. Either make it so short that it gets over right after the reader starts reading. Or, make it huge so that even after five laborious minutes of reading, they realize that they are nowhere near the end.
5. Turn off the comment facility. It's your blog; what you write is up to you. Readers can just read through if they want but they must keep their precious views to themselves. You get to decide what you want to write about. Readers' input, who cares?
6. Or you could just keep the comment facility on but never reply to the suggestions people are giving. So what if a person is taking the pain to give you feed-backs on your product: you shouldn't have to deal with praises or constructive criticism.
7. Be inconsistent. That way the readers will lose track of your posts and eventually lose interest. You can always surprise them (and yourself) with blog posts out of the blue, but that's not something they'll go for if they do not know when to look forward to the next post.

So, these invaluable pieces of advice are all I have to share with my readers. I hope these are helpful if you are looking forward to becoming a bad blogger!

[N.B.: Do leave a comment. I will be back next Friday!]