Hushed Lives of Men in Kashmir

The story of empowerment remains incomplete without recognizing men’s challenges.

- Raqif Makhdoomi

a man. Men don’t cry. Are you even a man? Start earning, you are a man. Mard ko dard nahi hota.

Kashmiri boys hear these words everytime, and everywhere. They grow up learning to hide their feei-ings, and hold their pain inside. Over time, the chest grows heavy.

Men carry these silences while society applauds women for speaking up. Feminism promised equality, but often it forgot that men face pressures too.

The movement began with a hashtag, #MeToo. Women shared experiences of harassment and violence. It gave them a voice that was long silenced.

With time, some cases turned out to be false, sometimes personal disputes disguised as justice.