Social Commentary

All Posts
Reviews
Current Affairs
Genderlogue
Sanskar
Lifestyle
Sustainable Fashion
Social Commentary
Mental Wellbeing
Beauty and Fashion
The People's Podium

May 3
6 min

Embracing My Hyphen: On Patels, Privilege, and the Names We Hide Behind

To me, -Patel meant a new signature and simple addition, but to my parents and our larger community, Patel was far more than a name.

When Women Walk: A Small Taste of Freedom in Taiwan

The Lipstick Politico

Apr 11
7 min

When Women Walk: A Small Taste of Freedom in Taiwan

S. Sandhu writes about her liberating travel experience in Taiwan and why feminism is vital for urban planning and architecture.

The People's Podium: Alternative Justice and Making Communities whole again

The Lipstick Politico

Mar 25
6 min

The People's Podium: Alternative Justice and Making Communities whole again

As alternative justice gradually emerges as a potential answer to questions being raised around the world, we look to demystify the idea.

On Bechdel Tests and Bindis: Lessons for Bollywood from its Southern Siblings

The Lipstick Politico

Mar 21
6 min

On Bechdel Tests and Bindis: Lessons for Bollywood from its Southern Siblings

Mythily Nair discusses why Bollywood is still far behind its contemporary industries in producing films with nuanced female characters.

Landmarks of My Life: The Street Vendor Women Who Mark the Borders of My Existence

The Lipstick Politico

Mar 10
9 min

Landmarks of My Life: The Street Vendor Women Who Mark the Borders of My Existence

Welcome to the next instalment of TLP’s Cardamom Tower, where we highlight research written by Aparajita Sharma and Dipjyoti Konwar.

To Clarify: Women are Awesome, All 365 Days of the Year

The Lipstick Politico

Mar 7
5 min

To Clarify: Women are Awesome, All 365 Days of the Year

The real heroes carrying the mantle aren't in the places we are conditioned to look for. So this International Women's Day, we salute you.

Why Jeo Baby’s “The Great Indian Kitchen” is a timely reminder of unequal labour structures at home

The Lipstick Politico

Feb 24
5 min

Why Jeo Baby’s “The Great Indian Kitchen” is a timely reminder of unequal labour structures at home

Mythily Nair reviews the new Malayalam film, The Great Indian Kitchen, which takes an unflinching lens into the Indian household.

The Gulf Between Us: A Deep Dive into the Plight of Migrant Women

The Lipstick Politico

Feb 21
6 min

The Gulf Between Us: A Deep Dive into the Plight of Migrant Women

In a rare case this week, justice actually prevailed in a courtroom in Riyadh, over the tragic death of Abiron Begum Ansar.

Caste and Compatability under the Anuloma Sun: There’s Something Wrong with the Way We Love

The Lipstick Politico

Feb 14
7 min

Caste and Compatability under the Anuloma Sun: There’s Something Wrong with the Way We Love

Find out how South Asian parenting, Bollywood movies, social anxieties, misogyny, classism and casteism have misguided the way we love.

We Are Talking About This: Bade Bhai and the Corrosion of Expression

The Lipstick Politico

Feb 8
8 min

We Are Talking About This: Bade Bhai and the Corrosion of Expression

In the past month, freedom of expression in India has found itself in a nose-dive spin so sharp that even Rihanna couldn't ignore.

Is Any Of This Really Helping: The Cult of Positivity and the Monetisation of Mindfulness

The Lipstick Politico

Jan 31
8 min

Is Any Of This Really Helping: The Cult of Positivity and the Monetisation of Mindfulness

TLP delves into the wellbeing industry and how it monetised mindfulness through the appropriation of many indigenous South Asian practices.

When the Water is Safer: Refuge in a Time of Supremacy

The Lipstick Politico

Jan 17
9 min

When the Water is Safer: Refuge in a Time of Supremacy

Looking back at Canada's 2010 MV Sun Sea Incident and the role race, color, and prejudice play in government responses to perceived crises.

The Lipstick Politico

Jan 4
6 min

Beauty Debates: In Defense of Vanity

Sindhu Rajasekaran writes the first part of a debate around beauty- the perils of social media, notions of self-love and defending vanity.

Our Collective Moral Bankruptcy and the Perils of Performative Wokeness

The Lipstick Politico

Dec 6, 2020
6 min

Our Collective Moral Bankruptcy and the Perils of Performative Wokeness

Part of why the social and political landscape is morally barren today is because none of us can see beyond the our performative wokeness.

Out of the Box: Reshaping the Transgender Experience in South Asia

The Lipstick Politico

Nov 29, 2020
6 min

Out of the Box: Reshaping the Transgender Experience in South Asia

The transgender community has fought long for acceptance and basic human rights in India. We bring the stories of five such individuals.

Feminist and Lovely: A Casting Call for Male (Role)Models in Supporting Roles

The Lipstick Politico

Nov 22, 2020
9 min

Feminist and Lovely: A Casting Call for Male (Role)Models in Supporting Roles

Presenting the antithesis of prevalent masculinity archetypes. A few worthy men who aren’t sticking to the script. TLP’s Top Bollywood Baes

A Suitable Judge: Courting Gender Equality, from Amy Coney Barrett to Indu Malhotra

The Lipstick Politico

Nov 1, 2020
8 min

A Suitable Judge: Courting Gender Equality, from Amy Coney Barrett to Indu Malhotra

A dissection of women representation in the top courts with the selection of Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court.

On Allies and Obligations: Explaining Minority Issues to Majority Parents

The Lipstick Politico

Oct 25, 2020
8 min

On Allies and Obligations: Explaining Minority Issues to Majority Parents

Why is it so difficult to talk to our parents about Black Lives Matter?

Indian F*ckboys and the Making of Modern Misogyny

The Lipstick Politico

Oct 4, 2020
6 min

Indian F*ckboys and the Making of Modern Misogyny

Decoding the latest expression of misogyny in a culture that has found new ways to objectify, dehumanize women.

The Lipstick Politico

Sep 27, 2020
5 min

An Impolite Conversation

Artist Maya Vara on what prevents privileged women from speaking up, even while they are busy demanding societal change.

{"items":["608e7718f04c8400159bfc86","6072ad7661b51b0041fce301","605c33b8db03240015d5aefa","605706c7a885a60015e94d73","604773e84c7ebb0015d309f2","60447f3b8d78210041919afb","603500d24791f700178bbcba","60322421d796590017b41e7b","6028ebf7e6fa650059ea3a18","601fa63476b22e0034c802c4","6016500c5d6be40017595286","6003136bf748630017ced78e","5ff2bc3d6832c800179eaad9","5fcc75f23efe8f001765b7ca","5fc276c172d92200187a50ba","5fba2850333db3001767dbe1","5f9e46c2134f240017003909","5f9543f3f448d10017e91ff8","5f79ae852cb02b001778fbb2","5f6f27622d7edd0017bb7544"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1.3333333333333333,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":32,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":1,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":1,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":true,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":1,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":940,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"value":"rgba(232, 230, 230, 0.75)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"targetItemSize":940,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|fill|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0.5},"container":{"width":940,"galleryWidth":972,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}

Join our mailing list