For Women Who Do: Inspiring Change Together

I started Women’s Web 4 years ago with the firm conviction that a Change was imminent for women in India, and that I could be a part of that change. I believed that there could be a space for women where we could talk about the many different things that matter to us; that all parts of our life are valid – the simple, the complex, the fun, the serious, the joyful, the stressful.

I believed that women’s magazines didn’t need to be ‘time pass’ – that it was great to talk about beautiful things, but that we also needed to shine a light on the ugliness around us (and sometimes even within us) that prevents us from achieving our potential.

4 years on, I am seeking your help to continue this mission – and do it better. But first – I’d like to share some thoughts on what I see Women’s Web doing, in the larger scheme of things.

In another 4 days, it will be International Women’s Day (March 8th), and this year’s theme? Inspiring Change. The moment I heard that theme, it resonated with me. In some ways, it is almost as if that theme was tailor-made for us here in India, and especially for us women.

Because, women are at the forefront of change. Women are driving change because we need to – we have the most to lose from status quo. In homes, women are redefining the power equations, demanding equality and respect within families. At work, women are asking to be counted for their abilities, standing up for themselves, yet also re-defining workplaces that were originally built for single-breadwinner-men. In the larger society, women are seeking Change – demanding the right to use public spaces, to work and earn a fair livelihood, to marry based on their own choice, to be in control of their bodies and sexuality.

An experiment in Speaking Up

I believe firmly that little magazines like Women’s Web are an important part of that change, and hopefully, I don’t sound hubristic when I saying this! I’m not saying this just out of a sense of pride (although I am proud of what we have accomplished here). I am saying this because I believe that speaking up can only lead to good things, and spaces like ours are a part of the big experiment in Speaking Up that women of this country are engaged in.

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Good girls are seen, not heard. Good girls defer to men, to elders. Good girls swallow their hurts and disappointments, and cry in secret. Good girls accept that things will not change.

But, more and more, many of us refuse to buy into that conspiracy of Silence. We are not good girls. We are women who speak up. Women who ask questions. Women who support each other. Women who talk about all the things that matter to us, no matter if some of it is not pleasant to hear.

That is why, come this 8th March, when we unveil the next version of Women’s Web, you’ll also see our new tagline, For Women Who Do. 

Because we are the community of women who speak up, who creates changes in our own lives, and work to inspire Change around us.

You support for a bigger, better community?

The goal of Women’s Web is to help more and more women keep having these conversations that matter, to raise our voices together, learn, share, and know – that we are not alone. My dream is to therefore take the site to a much larger number of women, with a better reading experience.

We are also working on making the site accessible in an easier fashion, to readers who’d like to share their thoughts on any facet of life as a woman today.

To help us in this revamp, I am asking every reader to pitch in with a contribution – large or small – any amount that think appropriate, and based on your budget. Do visit our crowd-funding project and make your contribution.

There could be many reasons to contribute to sustain and make Women’s Web even better, but here are a few I’d like you to consider:

#1 You enjoy reading Women’s Web and believe we are worth contributing to

#2 You believe a platform like this is needed, that lets so many women talk about the things that really matter to them

#3 You would like a more enjoyable, easier reading experience, whether on your desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile

#4 While advertising covers some of the basic costs for most small digital magazines like us, we don’t want to be dependent entirely on advertising. That results in magazines which end up focusing more on ads than readers! To keep us independent and diverse in the content we cover, readers contributions are essential.

Please consider this my personal call out to YOU, and it would be great if you could go over and make your contribution soon – as of today, we have just 18 days left, and have reached close to 60% of our target.

Each little contribution will bring us to the total – and keep alive the larger goal of speaking up as women. Do also share it with others in your network, and help me get the word out to other generous souls who want to support a valuable community.

p.s. While the crowd-funding page mentions credit card and dollars, most Indian debit cards work too; just enter the numbers as you would for a credit card. Convert your ideal rupee amount and enter the equivalent dollar value, that’s all!

Pic credit: freehdw.com

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