We’ve been striving for a gender equal society from time immemorial, but the society we have been living in and the roles we have taken up has more often than not, reinforced the stereotypes that support unequal structures. The only way to move beyond this conditioning is to be ready to unlearn what is already inculcated and be willing to open ourselves to a wider range of understanding. 

Works of literature from the 1800s have women protagonists being persecuted for wanting sexual emancipation in a patriarchal society. We have lived the lives of characters who did not understand their sexuality and how to come face to face and embrace themselves for who they are. Presently, we see gay parades in many places in bright colours, but the first one started with a protest march - the Stonewall Revolution, when the police raided a gay bar, which was common for that period of time, but people choosing that day to fight back and stand up for themselves made all the difference. This was a turning point in the LGBTQ community. Today in India, where masonry is a skill that is dominated by men, Nishat Jahan, a ‘rani mistri’ moved past this mindset and along with several other women succeeded in building thousands of toilets in Jharkhand and Champaran of Bihar. These #WomenAtWork proved that traditional inhibitions exist only by choice.

The way literature and popular culture has shaped our thinking, it is now these mediums that greatly influence us to realize our potential for who we really are and not what society tells us we should be. Social media platforms feature several influencers, bloggers - people with the intent of positive change, providing us with facts, evidence, fostering right communication and leading by example so we understand the nuances behind what really is gender and how only ‘you’ get to decide who you want to be and what you want to do.

How to participate in Gender Talks

1. Complete your profile on our website - this is how we track your progress. And submitting your content to Blog Rolls is how you find community.

2. Create at least one piece of content a month. Make sure that you post each piece of content in the said month only. Your content can be on your blog, YouTube, or IGTV.  We will be sending reminders quarterly. 

3. Add the mandatory line ‘This post is part of #CauseAChatter with Blogchatter’ and link back to this post. Amplify your posts by submitting to Blog rolls, sharing on social, tagging Blogchatter and using the hashtag #CauseAChatter. Don’t forget to engage with other Cause A Chatter champions too!

4. We also have a Pinterest collaborative board where you can pin your posts to reach a greater audience.

5. Make sure the information you share is well researched. Our main goal here is to understand what we are talking about so we can have conversations that spark change. Understanding the terminology, concepts and rights ourselves is the first step towards that. 

6. There will be stickers, certificates and goodies involved for your participation in gender talks as a cause. You don’t want to miss out!

All through the year we will be understanding the very basics of gender through various forms of content - quizzes, book recommendations, stories that made history - there’s something for everyone. 

If you’re ready to become an advocate for Gender Talks, sign up here. Once you've done, you can always keep track of your progress and posts you've written here. Join us in the movement to promote all for love and love for all!