Shaili Chopra doesn’t appreciate the general assumption that women writers only write about feminism. “Today, there are so many women writing for different genres such as chicklet fiction, non-fiction, economics and business — these are all relevant subjects. Then, why do we think that women writers are all about feminism?” she questions. In an attempt to answer this question and a few other related aspects of it, Shaili has curated the Women Writers’ Fest along with author Kiran Manral, Tara Khandelwal and SheThePeople.TV, a storytelling platform for women that inspires new dialogue, fosters networking and reinforces women to grow both professionally and personally.
Having conducted the same event in Delhi last month, Shaili has high expectations (in terms of audience participation and the overall success of the event) from the Mumbai chapter. The forum will have discussions on issues that are faced by the modern woman such as wellness, sexuality, parenting, fashion and workplace woes. Shaili explains that the aim is to take the discussion beyond just literature and women. “The idea was to curate a fest that brings together women who are doing diverse kind of writing. We also think it is important that women get an opportunity to talk about some of these issues through their writing. We also want to bring to the fore elements of feminism that are missing from the mainstream narrative.”
An initiative like this, she believes, will go a long way in making the society more inclusive. “When I say that women are missing from the narrative, I mean they are missing in terms of representation across genres of anything, any sector. We need to change that.”
The panel also includes Gayatri Jayaraman, Sanjana Chowhan, Gopika Kapoor, Tracy D’Souza, Meghna Pant, Abha Bakaya, Lina Ashar, Sapna Bhavnani, Karla Bookman, Naomi Dutta, Amena Azeez, Nidhie Sharma, Gauri Devidayal, Shruti Seth, Supriya Joshi and more. The discussions cover a range of subjects. One talk for instance, titled A Room of Her Own, discusses financial independence and how important it is for women to work towards it. Bossy Pants on the other hand, will explore workplace dynamics for women, the several stereotypes women bosses are labelled with, and how, most importantly, to break away from these tight boxes. Yet another talk titled Sex and The City will delve into how social media affects relationships, while Eat Pray Love will explore the need for women to put themselves first, and know how to prioritise themselves.
So, when asked if is a women-only talk Shaili clarifies that the event is hosted in general interest — for all genders. In terms of the speakers, yes, but in terms of the audience, not at all. “As a platform, we at SheThePeople have always encouraged having a dialogue with men because it is important that the conversation go both ways. Men should be a part of the dialogue because they are an equally relevant part of it,” she signs off.
You can attend the talk on March 17 and 18, 2 pm and 11 am onwards,At The Goethe-Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan K. Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda
Entry: Free
