This headline is insidious. How is "returning from party" relevant to the story? Are you implying that her partying is the reason for the rape? This is how narratives of the 'perfect victim' is set. Ofc in a patriarchal society, no SA victim is perfect unless they're dead.
Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist but I think this series soft launched Hindutva into popular Indian-English literature because why did this series present a utopian society that still had caste based roles 😭
When a Tamil girl gets her first period, it is celebrated. However, there is little to no effort is made to ensure her emotional well-being. Several women I spoke to believe that such ceremonies can be done away with (1/n)
A 21-year-old college student runs a Gounder caste pride page on Instagram. He tells me that the community doesn't like or approve of inter-caste marriages, esp between Gounder women and men from other castes (1/n)
BJP president says Madurai AIIMS is 95% complete — but it seems to be 100% invisible
Tamil folks, I know we are all thinking of that iconic 'kenatha kaanom' Vadivelu scene XD
Idli and mutton curry is a staple Diwali breakfast in so many Tamil houses and on most Sundays as well, idk why north Indians think idli vada sambar is what we eat 365 days a year 🙄
Rathnavelu, the villain in Maamannan, has been appropriated by online caste groups. Even though his caste is not explicitly mentioned, he has been appropriated by Thevars and Gounders as 'Rathnavel Gounder' or 'Rathnavel Pandian'. (1/3)
Watched Thangalaan and I'm in awe. That climax was out of the world. Tbh, I thought it was a little all over the place until the climax and bam, everything fell into place perfectly.
@beemji
take a bow, this movie is going places!
In south Indian households, periods become taboo vv fast. We are taught to hide our pads and not discuss periods openly. Let's not even get started on the restrictions placed on a girl after her first period. This isn't feminism, stop romanticising this nonsense.
In South they celebrate Puberty
Look at the way they celebrate the event and even the girl enjoys the rituals of entering into womanhood
This is true feminism
Why shy away from the change that girls go through ?
Girls in their teens 'become women' all of a sudden. With their period, comes a host of restrictions to ensure that she is kept in check. I spoke to a few women about what they went through during their puberty ceremonies. Read my story here: (n/n)
Whether Pradeep is a sexual harasser or not is not the point of my story. I was trying to point out the larger culture of shaming, unnecessary scrutinising and victim blaming that follows women who come out with sexual harassment allegations.
'Puberty ceremonies' have been a part of Tamil society for a long time. They are a way of announcing to the community that a girl is ready to 'reproduce' (despite her age). Celebrating it also becomes a way to announce who should be kept tabs on lest she go 'astray' (2/n)
The survivor is 17 years old. He was attacked by his classmates because he complained about their casteist behaviour. His younger sister was also attacked as she tried to intervene. Hope the kids survive, this is a horrible thing to go through at 17.
NRIs need to stop homogenising Indian culture under the term dEsi. India *does not* have a homogeneous culture. I think Pakistanis and Bangladeshis relate more to 'desi culture and aesthetics' than south Indians.
News channels in Chennai chased, morally policed and harassed women leaving a pub. They were filmed and photographed without their consent. Rather than naming the pub that was open beyond stipulated timings, why did the media target women pub-goers?
These mfs will say justify caste killings and in the same breath defend convicted murderer Yuvaraj by saying he was falsely accused & "trapped." Or worse, they will say Yuvaraj was trying to "protect" Gounder women and culture. Go to fucking hell.
@OwnTheMaya
There is no mention of DUI or hit and run in the NDTV article. Are you referring to another source? Even then, I'm not sure if it is relevant to her being raped by someone she got a lift from.
Watched CS Amudhan's Ratham & what stood out to me the most was the link b/w caste and social media. These online groups seem innocuous and even laughable but have great potential for danger. I have written about their impact irl (1/n)
The bio on his Instagram page says 'Kongu Vellalar Goundergal mattum' (only for Kongu Vellalar Gounders). He claims that he started the page to share the history and culture of Gounders but his page posts in support of a convicted killer from the Gounder community - Yuvaraj (2/n)
Jawan and its women characters received immense praise, especially from Atlee's new audience. But he is infamous for writing superficial women characters in his Tamil movies. Read my story on why Atlee’s women aren't empowered the way he thinks they are
Okay this tweet blew up and has found its way to incels so muting it. If you're going to act particularly daft about the intention of this tweet and be abusive, best believe I'm reporting and blocking you.
This garnered way more attention than I thought it would but muting the thread now.
For people arguing in my mentions, making ridiculous false equivalencies, bashing my workplace and taking statements out of context, pls speak to women in your family & go touch grass lol
When a Tamil girl gets her first period, it is celebrated. However, there is little to no effort is made to ensure her emotional well-being. Several women I spoke to believe that such ceremonies can be done away with (1/n)
This trend of anti-Dalit, deeply misogynistic movies is worrying. For a change, someone should make a film (preferably better than this) on the Kongu region and its deep rooted casteism and patriarchy
If you, like me, are a VJS fan and are disappointed in the type of films that he has been doing, then please read my opinion piece on why it is time for him to re-evaluate his film choices.
Yuvaraj has been convicted of killing a Dalit college student Gokulraj on the suspicion that he was in love with Swathi, a woman from the Gounder caste. There are several 'fan pages' that valourise Yuvaraj for 'saving the honour' of the Gounder community. (3/n)
Today, moments before election campaigning stops in TN, one of the channels mentioned in our story was relentlessly posting 3-4 min videos of why people should vote for the BJP candidate in a particular constituency. It's not even subtle anymore lol
🚨Big story alert!
Tamil YouTube has seen a flood of right-wing channels lately. What kind of videos do they post? What caused their rise? Who funds them?
@akchayaa_r
analysed the content of 26 of these channels that help sell BJP’s narrative.
You’ve seen the gang in the comics, in books, and even in Riverdale — but this time around, you’ll see them closer to home!
Set in the 60's, The Archies builds a world that’s both familiar and new. Here's your first look
#TUDUM
!
This is a simplistic take. Maamannan was a disappointing film and felt like borderline propaganda for a political party. Doesn't mean that people criticising the film are casteist lol. There is casteism in the way these films are criticised but not every critique is casteist.
Rule Number One : Never trust caste hindus who like and appreciate,
Pariyerum Perumal
Sarpatta
Asuran
Jai Bhim
But have mixed feelings / hate all other Pa.Ranjith and Mari Selvaraj movies.
I spoke to several women in on why they are hesitant to avail period leaves despite their company offering them. The reasons ranged from fear of insensitive comments from men to a judgemental workplace.
You can read my full report here:
NRI Hindus outing themselves as casteists by opposing the anti caste discrimination bill will never not fascinate me, at least be a little subtle man 😭
#Breaking
:
#SB403
–redacted of all overt references to South Asia and Hinduism—passes CA Assembly by only 9 votes (41 needed to pass), and a remarkable 27 (33%) abstentions.
This divisive bill that still implicitly singles out/targets South Asians must be vetoed
@GavinNewsom
!
@blueplelet
I partly agree. I believe that it should be left to the menstruator to decide if they want to celebrate it. However, the subject of periods become a taboo in Tamil households the moment puberty ceremonies are over. Till date, the women in my household hide their pads and (1/2)
Read my long-ish story on online caste groups and their real life influence. I spoke to anti-caste thinkers, lawyers and an admin of an anti-caste page to understand how much influence they have in real life and how it can be tackled
This alarming trend is not surprising. Not too long ago, Gounder meme pages were celebrating Yuvaraj, a man convicted of murdering a Dalit man. In fact, there are comparisons between the two and Rathnavelu was dubbed as the 'reel' version of Yuvaraj. (2/3)
When I asked the admin how Yuvaraj saved the Gounder community, he is unable to provide a clear explanation. The conversation keeps circling back to the Gounder community's 'unique' culture and how it does not approve of inter-caste marriages. (4/n)
@krishnadaasa
If you had read the complete article, you would know that one girl (now a woman) begged her parents to not have the ceremony but they didn't listen. This can qualify as "parenting" but not sure if this translates into concern for the child's emotional well-being.
VCK MP Dr D Ravikumar writes to CM MK Stalin expressing concern about police officers clicking pictures of citizens to update their Facial Recognition Software database. He mentions how this can also lead to discriminatory practices.
@ramakrishnan_sm
I was born in that region and lived there for most part. I have a decent understanding of the caste and gender dynamics there. I have also seen how people from the kongu region think and behave.
Swiggy delivery executives go on strike in Chennai against new pay structure
The delivery execs feel that they have to work longer hours for lesser wages under the new structure.
Some anti-caste thinkers say that these pages are dangerous and can harm people in real life. But others are of the opinion that they don't do much apart from posting emotionally charged content. Lawyers say that there is little legal recourse to casteism in online spaces (6/n)
This is why media literacy is important. What is usually played at the beginning of interviews are edited clips from said interview to hook the viewer. These are clickbaity for a reason. If you're going to defend a sexual harasser, at least get your facts right.
I will never forget when Pandey asked "12 years aa court leave aa".
@Chinmayi
" Yes" 😅.
Really? We all have empathy for you. But "your word against mine" Will not work in court.
Stop wishing the world to work like you like. Move on. Don't be entitled.
Ik this is meant to be funny but it just highlights how organised religion violates bodily autonomy of children 💀
This post ends up making the point it was trying to mock lol
The posts celebrating Rathnavelu have captions and comments saying 'avan porula vechu avanaye podanum', as if they are trying to teach Mari Selvaraj a lesson for portraying dominant castes as villains in his movies. Read my complete story here:
The way her insta post triggered a primal anger in me god
I just have a deep hatred for these pseudoscientific momfluencers. I hope people see through her bs unfollow her instead of taking parenting advice from her.
When will men learn to not objectify women fans and leave them tf alone? The replies to this tweet are full of nonsense like this and one person even said "csk and rcb fangirls are wife material"??? What is this weird obsession with women fans let them be ffs
Kalakshetra sexual harassment accused Hari Padman arrested by Chennai police
He was booked by the Adyar police on March 31 after a former student filed a complaint a complaint against him.
Wonder how many of these men will get mad when women say 'yes all men' or call out a friend if they notice him making a woman uncomfortable or feel unsafe
I watched the 7 min video clip several years back when it first came out and was appalled at its contents. Rewatching it now has been no less triggering. Truly disappointing that people can get away with hate speech *and* get an MP seat.
#journorequest
I am looking to speak to menstruating people who work in companies that offer period leaves. Please feel free to reach out to me on DMs or write to me at akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com.
TW: Suicide
Tamil mainstream news channels and several YouTube 'news channels' have resorted to sensationalised, insensitive and triggering coverage of the suicide of Vijay Antony's daughter. They shared her name and picture. They shared visuals of the grieving parents. (1/n)
@blueplelet
are very reluctant to tell the men. Romanticizing the ability to give birth does more harm than good, esp when it's a teen girl is involved. I am also not sure how appropriate it is to 'celebrate' a teenage girl's ability to give birth. (2/2)
#journorequest
Folks on dating apps, have you used AI tools like ChatGPT to build your profile or respond to matches? If you have, I would love to chat with you for a story. You can remain anonymous and there will be no judgements! Please dm or write to akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com
Online caste pride pages are a relatively new phenomenon but based on archaic casteist beliefs. Several dominant castes across Tamil Nadu have pages dedicated to them and to profess caste pride while glorifying problematic casteist rhetoric (5/n)
Nalini, born and raised in a Sri Lankan refugee camp, was given Indian citizenship. She became the first person born in a Sri Lankan refugee camp to become an Indian citizen. She says that now more people will be confident to apply for citizenship.
TN IPS Officers’ group comes out in support of cop accused of custodial violence
They have accused the media of 'biased reporting' and asked them to 'exercise discretion' while publishing stories on Balveer Singh until the investigation is done (1/2).
Amman movies in Tamil Nadu were all the rage. Despite following a set template, Amman movies gained a large fanbase, especially among women. These movies were also has somewhat radical ideas wrt caste and gender (1/n)
#journorequest
I am working on a story on the mental health infrastructure in
#IITs
and would like to speak to present and former
#IIT
students. If you would be willing to speak to me for the story, please do reach out. Thanks in advance!
If anything, Vichithra's statements from yesterday's episode validate my arguments - survivors have to fight tooth and nail before their allegations are taken seriously. Especially, if the aggressor is powerful, well-loved and popular.
What is the BJP's strategy to win votes/take over the discourse in TN? How are they reaching potential voters and setting the base in a state where they have had little success? The answer is YouTube. (1/n)
Two young men, in their late teens, died in a bike accident in OMR, Chennai on November 29 after they were speeding. They were recording a video of themselves speeding which also captured their fatal crash.
This. There's a reason why something like the 4B movement started in Korea. There's a reason why Korean women are refusing to date and marry Korean men. K-dramas will never show the misogynistic, anti-feminist side of Korean men. Or worse, they might package it as 'romantic'
#LokSabhaElections2024
| I have reported on BJP's YouTube strategy from Tamil Nadu.
I could do this because
@newslaundry
and
@thenewsminute
invested in sending my colleagues and me on the ground.
Invest in public interest journalism by contributing:
Thank you to everyone who responded to my tweet on period leaves. I am also looking to speak to HR people who work in organisations that offer period leaves. If you know anyone or is willing to speak to me, please DM me or write to akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com.
#journorequest
History is more than heroes and villains, time to get over binaries: Manu S Pillai
I spoke to
@UnamPillai
and he discusses 'polarising' historical figures, subaltern histories and biases in history.
You can read the full interview here:
A bear attacked 3 men in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Two men came to help the man being attacked who were also attacked. Very disturbing visuals, viewer discretion advised.
Kalakshetra dance teacher Hari Padman booked for sexual harassment by Chennai police
Students who have been protesting on campus have temporarily called off the protest and thanked the media and law enforcement for their support.
Anyone ever mentions steffi akka, my brain straight up says "Welcome to Madras Samayal, inniku naama paaka porathu...." and "நாவின் சுவை அறும்புகள் மலரட்டும்"
#journorequest
Do you frequent Korean and/or Japanese restaurants because you are a fan of K-pop and drama/anime? I would like to chat with you for a story I'm working on. Drop a text or email me at akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com. Thanks in advance!
Menstruating people from TN, did your family follow certain rituals and practices when you got your first period? If you are willing to speak about your experiences for a story, please DM or reach out to me akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com. (1/2)
Dev Patel you fuckin animal. The balls on your bud! Love you. And we are with you!
What a story to be told. What a movie to make. Fuck BJP! Fuck Modi! Fuck Yogi Adityanath! Fuck RSS!
#IndianElections2024
Pradeep Anthony was evicted from Bigg Boss 7 on account of making fellow contestants feel unsafe, esp women. What followed was a flood of support for him, invalidating the allegations put forth by women (1/2).
#journorequest
I am looking to speak to owners of Korean and Japanese restaurants in Indian cities for my story. If you are one or know someone please DM or write to akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com. Thanks in advance!
almost every iit-tech bro on the internet is living proof that 'Invisible Women' by Caroline-Criado-Perez must be made mandatory reading, esp for non-humanities students
#WATCH
| On meeting PM on Feb 12, Instagram influencer Shraddha Jain says, "We shook hands as I entered the room & he said, "Aiyyo" - prefix to my social media handle...He told us how proud he was about the way South Indian film industry has showcased the beauty of our country."
@akchayaa_r
@rgmlk
Thank you for identifying these channels that we can subscribe to.
And Ackchaya - your article is as pretentious as the spelling of your name - removing sha is as deep as your Tamil goes - you should stick to writing about Tamil pop culture, politics doesn't quite suit you
‘Do not impose a language war’: Stalin on panel pushing Hindi as medium of instruction
Stalin said that this preferential treatment of Hindi over other languages is "unconstitutional" and "threatens the integrity of the nation."
How the
@UN
agreed to let reps from an 'imaginary country' founded by a man accused of rape, torture and child kidnapping speak at their convention is beyond me.
Just because something has been in practice for ages, doesn't mean it is right. In instances like the puberty ceremony, if the young girl doesn't want the ceremony, it should not be forced on her. We do a disservice to our teens' abilities to decide for themselves.
Tamil cinema has had a complex relationship with agriculture. Portrayals of agriculture have always been in line with the political events of the state or the nation. But have agriculture movies shown how feudalistic the profession is? (1/n)
@Indumakalktchi
If you feel someone is stalking,
Be Brave!
1. Inform Police .
a. Call 100 on emergency.
b. Use "Kaaval Uthavi" app to inform Police on emergency.
c. Helpline Numbers: 181, 1091
d. Inform Patrol vehicle nearby
I wanted to write this story primarily because I had a horrible experience with my puberty ceremony. I had high fever but my parents didn't want to take me to the hospital because girls were not supposed to step out of the house during their first period.
Also if only the "it's celebrating womanhood" gang would pause and ask themselves this: if a girl (a child) is suddenly a woman (an adult), why can't she decide if she wants the ceremony or not? Surely she can decide if she wants the ceremony or not, now that she is a "woman."
Not to mention how the family of the menstruating girl is considered 'theetu' (impure, for the lack of a better word) and can't go to temples until the puberty ceremony is formally conducted. We didn't ask for our 'womanhood' (at 13??) to be celebrated. Leave us be smh
Because they also had horrible experiences. My story resonated with them. Idk if the people trolling this story went through the quote tweets but I really hope they do. Several women are sharing their experiences as well.
#journorequest
I am looking to speak to non-humanities students from Bengaluru universities and colleges for a story. Please write to me at akchayaa
@thenewsminute
.com if you're interested. Thanks in advance!
Till date, what happened during my first period and the puberty ceremony makes me sad and fills me with rage. When I watched Ayali on Zee TV, it resonated with me so much. I remember discussing the show, periods and all the shit we had to endure, with a dear colleague.
Injured American man jumps out of ambulance in Chennai, detained by police
While going in the ambulance, he broke out because he thought he was taken by an "organ harvesting gang." Poor guy probably watched too many Tamil movies before coming here XD
I just watched Barbie and I want to talk about it but none of my friends have and I don't want to spoil it for them but I also don't want to shut up help 😭
Anyway, thank you to all those who engaged with my story. This is a story will remain close to my heart because it came from a deeply personal place. This one is for my confused, scared, angry & 13 y/o self, I hope she is proud and knows that she can question every fucking thing