Born Equal

Social exclusion, identity seclusion and isolation from the social mainstream are still the stark realities faced by individuals today, and it is only when each and every individual is liberated from the shackles of such bondage... that we can call ourselves a truly free society, said Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, while delivering the landmark judgment on Section 377, which decriminalised gay sex between consenting adults. The verdict, though, carried a larger significance as it showed the maturity of a nation to stand with people who form a tiny section of society.

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As the country celebrates a legal milestone, we at Femina have decided to conduct a social experiment to understand what it takes to be a person ‘different’ from the majority—what it takes for a transgender person to find accommodation; for a dark-skinned woman to find a suitor; for a disabled person to access public places, among others. The experiment brought to the fore the battles of those who have to fight every inch of their way to enjoy the same freedom often taken for granted by those in the majority.

It’s on this inclusivity, or the lack thereof, we turn the spotlight in our anniversary special, as we bring to you stories of trials, tribulations, and triumphs of the people who form the diversity without which inclusivity may have no meaning.

'IF YOU CAN'T BE INCLUSIVE, DON'T SHUT US OUT'

NEHA PARULKAR TASK: TO BUY A DRESS OR ACTIVEWEAR

“A troubled child who is a confident model today,” is how Neha Parulkar describes herself. The plus-size model and body positivity influencer says she had a dual struggle as a kid—one with her weight, and the other with the constant negativity she was surrounded by because of it. She says, “I stopped eating everything that kids usually love. I was fat-shamed, and it changed me as a person. A happy-go-lucky kid turned into a sad, grumpy one.” Pressure from family members, Parulkar says, also made her hit the gym early in life, but the diets and workouts didn’t help. Instead, they made her unhappy, till the day she questioned herself, “Why am I doing this? To prove a point to whom?”