Our Sexuality is Interlinked with Our Past

The session began with Amrita Narayanan’s fascinating assertion that women are seduced to talk about the soft story and that the words about sexuality have been silenced. The session discussed how sexuality is interlinked with our past and how we trade silence for pity. Meena T. Pillai also raised her arguments about the representation of women in advertisements and popular culture. Women now have the opportunity to talk about their distress and trauma. Amrita added. The sessions are then opened for discussion of Amrita Narayanan’s book “Women Sexuality and Modern India.” The book opens up several provocative questions. How is dismantling the patriarchy in the imagination different from fighting patriarchy in the outer world? What aspects of sex under patriarchy do women want to give up, and what would they like to keep? She further added that young girls’ excitement is choreographed and well-mannered, but that is not the case when it comes to boys. Our patriarchal society constructs certain functions for women. The session concludes with Amrita’s quote, ‘Surrender my sexuality to a man.’ Anger comes when a need is not fulfilled. The session was well received by the audience and discussed topics like cumulative trauma, the label of oppression, and trading silence for pity.