The Feminist Witch

12/08/2021

WOOHOO!! THIS IS AN AMAZING DEVELOPMENT.

Justice Ayesha Malik is responsible for doing away with the horrific two-finger virginity test that was forced onto r**e and abuse survivors.

CONGRATULATIONS to women across Pakistan!!

07/08/2021

Helplines for women facing violence in Karachi. Please share with women and girls you know. ⁠
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07/08/2021

for women facing violence, located in different cities across Sindh. Please share with women and girls you know. ⁠
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07/08/2021

Helplines for Shelter Homes for women facing violence, located in different cities across Pakistan. Please share with women and girls you know. ⁠
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07/08/2021

Pakistani society treats tampons and sanitary pads worse than the plague - every time you go to purchase one from the store, they'll quietly pass you the brown paper bag as if they're helping you steal. They're not as afraid of COVID as they are of the mention of the menstrual cycle and menstrual products in public!

Sanitary napkins and tampons are a NECESSITY, not a privilege. We should have these available in every public bathroom. Do not allow men to act "holier than thou". Claim your space. Unapologetically.

09/07/2021

"Why The Domestic Violence Bill Is So Close To My Heart" - written by Zohra Ahmed, this story gives insight into just one part of the lives of women living under horrific circumstances in Pakistan. Domestic Violence is an epidemic in our country, and we are dire in need of laws that provide protection to women, children and minorities.

https://www.feministwitch.co/why-the-domestic-violence-bill-is-close-to-my-heart/

Home Women and Family Law Why The Domestic Violence Bill Is Close To My Heart Women and Family Law Why The Domestic Violence Bill Is Close To My Heart By Zohra Ahmed - July 9, 2021 5 0 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email A few days ago (on Tuesday, the 6th-July-2021), the Adviser to t...

09/07/2021

Why the term "Basic Bitch" does more harm than good for women, as a tool of the patriarchy. Read on:

Young women are disproportionately corrupted by the overuse of this term.

09/07/2021

The Age of Consent in the Indian Subcontinent was legally put into place in 1889, after the brutal death of a 10-year-old bride at the hands of her 30-year-old husband, when he forcibly consummated the marriage.

This article beautifully explores the trial that took place after, and the system that failed her.

And it changed the history of consent laws forever

24/05/2021

As the eldest daughter in a desi family, let me say this:
Ladies, it is time that we all begin to practice self-love.
Stop putting the needs of others before your own. You are human. You are not responsible for their happiness or their life.
Forgive yourself. Heal yourself. LOVE yourself.

24/05/2021

Our criminal justice system is flawed to the point that survivors of domestic abuse and gender-based violence have no hope for justice... their only way out is death.
In a society where the daughter is automatically discarded from the family unit upon marriage, who does she turn to when the relationship turns sour? We have no shelters available for women who escape domestic and/or intimate partner violence. In fact, should a woman run away, the police usually brings her back to her husband's family - because according to Pakistan's Constitution, women, minors and mentally ill are in the same category.
An adult woman is infantilized in our society, by the LAW, to the point that she is unable to make her own decisions... and is not trusted with her own life choices. There is usually only one way out for women... and that is death.
We need this to change.

24/05/2021

MEN NEED TO STOP MAKING LAWS FOR WOMEN. PERIOD.

24/05/2021

The nightmarish concept of aging has been used to control desi women's lives for centuries. We have been taught that our internal "body clock" is ticking away, and if we wish to "have it all" we must do it within a certain number of years...
Whether it is getting an education, having a career, a part-time job or even contracting a marriage... the clock is constantly ticking on us.
Do not allow generational methods of control to determine the course of your lives...Do not let your age kill your dreams. Fight for them. Invest in yourself, ladies!

24/05/2021

Life is hard. Everybody's process is different. Some may seem to have it easier than you do, but you NEED to TRUST THE PROCESS. Trust your process.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Forgive yourself for any past mistakes, and practice self-love.

22/05/2021

Financial independence of women has always been undermined by capitalist and patriarchal agendas. The power and privilege (many of us) have today was not available to the women, trans-folk and other minorities of our mothers' and grandmothers' generations.
The prevalence of gender-based violence in our society(s) is rooted in women's economic, professional, political and racial vulnerability.
Capitalism's structural undervaluation of women's labor - be it paid or unpaid - sustains the world in its present structural forms: the exploitation of different groups for the benefit of one class.
Patriarchy has used tools such as religion, societal norms and tradition (including victim blaming and shaming) to hold women back for centuries. Without access to money, women are dependent on the men in their lives... forced to silently bear the brunt of the abuse and exploitation.
There are no social structures in place for women to get out and still be safe from their abuser. When you can't support yourself (and your children), you can't leave.

22/05/2021

Something to ponder... 🤔

22/05/2021

Weird, isn't it, how we are all known by our fathers' name, yet it is the fathers themselves who are never held accountable by society regarding their role as a parent / guardian? The brunt of blame always falls on the woman and the child... but never on the man who runs with his tail between his legs like a rabid dog...

17/05/2021

Ever walked outside your house without a chaperone? Ever bothered to count how many women you see walking the street?

Taking up public space is a privilege upheld - one that is viciously defended - by men. We're taught to "protect our chastity", "stay inside" and "be safe"... from the very men who roam the streets.

These same men then invade our homes and refuse to let us have a say there, either. The COVID-19 lockdown has taught us at least that much!

"Achay ghar ki larkiyan bahar nahi jaatin"... etc etc

How many times have we heard that phrase, thrown in our face(s), while our very own brothers step outside the home with impunity in the dead of night? Why must women stay locked up inside their homes, afraid of taking up space in public for fear of consequences and retribution?

We have patriarchy to thank for painting the men as some sort of crazed monsters, roaming the streets and looking for prey. We have patriarchy to thank for judging women who step outside their homes, be it to work or simply for leisure, when it is simply a basic human right to do so.

As women, as human beings and as citizens of Pakistan, we are just as entitled to step outside in public than anyone else. We need to forcefully take up space (similar to ). When you are not given your basic rights, you need to forcefully take them.

There is no other way.

17/05/2021

Did you know that in Pakistan, women can be KILLED by their male family members (especially their husbands and brothers) if they don't serve the food on time / hot? Nobody bats an eye. How is this considered to be okay?

"A good woman should know how to cook for her husband and his family"; "go make me a sandwich"; "what are wives for if not to take care of the husband?"... these are not just statements that we grew up listening to.

THIS IS INDOCTRINATION.

Patriarchy has taught us that we can't say "No"; that our only value as good, traditional women is to serve the families that are so gracious to accept us into their homes - be it our birth home, and then, afterward, our in-laws' home.

It (conveniently) doesn't expect the same from the men.

How many of our fathers, brothers and sons - living in the SAME house - bother to help us in the most basic of house chores? Why are we expected to do the menial tasks of serving the entire family while they sit pretty on the sofas before the TV, or with their phones? Call out this behavior. We should not be expected to serve just because we are women. And the men should not expect us to treat them like royal guests when we all live in the same home, as part of the same family.

Learn to say NO. It gets easier with time. Trust me.

Shout out to the for being a voice for brown girls everywhere. Check out their website: https://www.pinkladoo.org/

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16/05/2021

Did you know that the Nasreen Dad Trust Fund, started by , provides women and girls in Jhang with free healthcare and medical services?

Read our special feature piece for more details about this amazing endeavour. ✨You can also donate to their cause to help!

Read more about it here: 👉https://www.feministwitch.co/free-medical-camp-held-by-nasreen-dad-trust/

16/05/2021

Imagine going through the pains of pregnancy, the fear, horror and pain of an 18-hour-long labour... that could have turned fatal if the doctors hadn't stepped in... only to have your partner turn away from the child HE helped to bring into this world.

The fact that men can so easily turn away from their own responsibilities should deeply disturb the women, because it seriously puts our (and our children's) lives at risk.

The fact that they are so immune to feeling any sort of emotion other than disgust and repulsion when faced with the prospect of having a daughter, just goes to show how deeply brainwashed by patriarchy the men in our society truly are.

With the culture of arranged-marriage being one of the main ways of finding a partner in Pakistan, many girls and women are hesitant to ask questions that may cause the other party to question their character or view them in a negative light. This stems from the widespread perception that women must always take whatever is handed to them in silence.

But you shouldn't.

Don't be afraid to ASK your potential spouse what their ideas are on marriage; partnership.... and children. Especially daughters. Yes, they may lie... and people can change or become influenced by the voices around them (especially when the men are so strongly controlled by the adults in their own families).. but voicing your concerns helps you recognize what they are, and also helps in (sometimes) identifying potentially toxic partners.

Finally, never be financially dependent on a man.

You never know when you and your children may need to fend for yourselves. Always do your best to try and stand on your own two feet. There is nothing better than having financial security; especially in a country as deeply patriarchal is Pakistan.

16/05/2021

Patriarchal norms equate daughters to being burdensome and sons to being the family's road to glory. However, for most desi families, it is rare for this to be the case in real life.

The imbalance in the upbringing of sons and daughters of the same household ironically (though not surprisingly) more often than not creates a split in filial ties as a result of the son being given too much freedom... and the daughter little to none.

We must make a conscious effort to change our own mindsets first, by recognizing the signs of internalized misogyny... and then help others recognize it in themselves.

It is a long, hard road. But is is worth it.

Also, the fact that relatives in desi families feel so emboldened to make such comments speaks volumes about the lack of boundaries we have - as individuals and as family members.

We need to consciously make an effort to loudly put people in their place. Show them the boundary they must adhere to, and ensure they understand their will be consequences if they don't.

Yes, the feelings of guilt and shame are beaten into us until they form a large part of our psyche... where we ultimately bow down to the desires of those around us, stifling our own voices until we forget we had one in the first place.

But it is wrong. This cycle of emotional abuse must end for a freer tomorrow. And the end starts with us.

16/05/2021

Hearing the real-life stories of women we help sometimes causes me such pain. Imagine how deep the internalized misogyny runs within many of our women counterparts, that they offer to adopt other people's daughters to shield them from the "pain and embarrassment" of adding yet another va**na to the family tree.

In Pakistan, we are taught to be ashamed of ourselves since girlhood. What we dress, how we sit, how loud we laugh, whether we're allowed to show anger or any other emotion... everything is controlled by our elders since the time we are little girls. We accept this treatment, because we are not taught any better.

And the cycle of internalized misogyny continues, passed on without dilution from one generation to the next.

This cycle will carry on until we begin to call it out. Don't be afraid to voice your opinions at the dinner table. Don't be afraid of confrontation. Call out your parents, your aunts and uncles, your siblings, your friends... call them out when you hear them talk like this.

Teach them why such thinking is wrong. Teach them... because there is no other way to create change. Speak up. Be loud. Be unapologetic. Be brave. Be heard. Be the change for a better tomorrow for our daughters.

16/04/2021

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here's a list of steps that can be taken if someone has been r**ed.

https://www.feministwitch.co/what-to-do-if-you-have-been-r**ed/

Home Gender-Based Violence Gender-Based ViolenceRapeResources What To Do If You Have Been R***d By Hajra Khan February 25, 2021 0 48 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email If you have been r**ed, it may be extremely overwhelming to even think about reaching out to get help, but you must....

14/04/2021

Sometimes, the first step on the path to healing your soul is acknowledging the pain and trauma you have learned to live with. Fatima Millwala writes about her journey towards healing her emotional and spiritual scars.

https://www.feministwitch.co/acknowledging-my-pain-and-trauma/

Featured ArticlesOpinion Acknowledging My Pain and Trauma It is time to take back control. It is time to heal. By Fatema Millwala - January 6, 2021 0 5 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email It has been two days since the fateful Lahore High Court Judgement by Justice Ayesha A. Malik, de...

13/04/2021

Understanding Domestic Violence. What does DV entail?

Home Gender-Based Violence Domestic Violence Understanding Domestic Violence Gender-Based ViolenceDomestic Violence Understanding Domestic Violence By Paras Amanullah - March 3, 2021 103 0 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email Domestic violence is among the most prevalent forms of abuse...

12/04/2021

Alia Ahmed shares a brave glimpse into life living with trauma in a desi family.

Opinion Desi Trauma By Alia Ahmed - April 8, 2021 0 5 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email I’m 7-years-old. Auntie Asim has dropped my cousin Saif*, who is seven three years elder to me, at our place for the day. He’ll stay with us until his mother comes back from work to pick him ...

11/04/2021

Hajra Khan writes about how women in Pakistan are Conditioned Into Silence. "For some, it can take a lifetime to find their voices..."

https://www.feministwitch.co/conditioned-into-silence/

Home Opinion Conditioned Into Silence Opinion Conditioned Into Silence For women in Pakistan’s patriarchal society, it can take a lifetime to find their voice(s). If they find it at all. By Hajra Khan - April 8, 2021 5 0 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email “I haven’t been able t...

11/04/2021

Did you hear the groundbreaking rap song against Domestic Violence by Sheraz Shahid, yet? If you haven't, listen to it now.

https://www.feministwitch.co/maara-a-pakistani-rap-about-domestic-violence/

Gender-Based ViolenceDomestic ViolenceViolence Against Women MAARA: A Pakistani Rap About Domestic Violence By Hajra Khan - March 7, 2021 0 46 Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin Email Sheraz Shahid’s new hip-hop single, “MAARA”, talks about the physical violence women in Pakistan usu...