why did I get started?
Perceived injustice causes feelings of anger, frustration, and dissatisfaction regarding the status quo. However, it is also a source of motivation to fight for the things you would like to see changed in this world. Our Shakti is an expression of that.
I was born into a Surinamese-Indian family in The Hague, the Netherlands. While growing up, not only did I notice differences between the Dutch culture and the culture at home, but I also began early on witnessing gender differences in my environment. Men and women had specific tasks and separate roles set aside for them. My interest in gender differences only grew when I started studying discourses and social constructions in my cultural studies class in university.
I now meet many women through dance class and work, where I continue to hear similar stories of shared gender experiences. It hit me that many women run into the same things.
Why are divorced women looked down upon? Why are women serving food and drinks at a birthday party and men sitting and relaxing? Why are women being taught to dress modestly to avoid getting the wrong attention? Why isn’t it the case that men are taught not to give women the wrong attention? Why does a girl’s worth depend on how many partners she’s had? The less, the more value.
These are some of the questions that girls and women struggle with throughout their lives. Women are molded into versions of themselves that they would have never been without these external societal pressures. Moreover, when they raise questions, they are often not being taken seriously, or people don’t feel comfortable talking about it because it’s taboo.
