This article explores the themes of well-being and flourishing of selves in the experiential reality of the female subjectivity by giving examples of past and upcoming events of Pragati, the Women’s Development Cell, Daulat Ram College. It aims to question categories like ‘female body’ and mind, ‘woman’ and attempt to begin a discussion on gender and sexuality. Moreover, the article highlights the complexity of the relationship between body and mind in the case of female subjectivity and avoids simplifications that restrict diversity and inclusivity. The various layers of the apparently age-old ‘woman question' are also hinted at. With this blog, we also aim to introduce the theme for this session of ‘well-being and flourishing of women’ and intend to, from time and again, come up with various articles on the same.
“Wipe out the paints, un-mould the clay/Let nothing remain of that yesterday” – Kamala Das, poet
When we imagine the well-being and flourishing of selves, we almost always think of those around us. Our first instinctual reaction guides us to level our own unique individual selves against others in order to compare, judge, apprehend. We look for models to determine well-being and flourishing in life, and this is something that holds us back from experiencing it in our individual ways. We at Pragati, Women’s Development Cell, Daulat Ram College, have decided to explore the theme- “Well-being and Flourishing of Women”, for our 2021-22 session. In our upcoming event celebrating World Mental Health Day on 6th October 2021, WDC is organising a talk with Sue Langley, an eminent Global Consultant and Positive Leadership Expert on the topic- “Women’s Well-Being”. Apart from this, the team plans to conduct a lot many diverse sessions on self-love, self-care practices, workshops on yoga and meditation and so on. This article aims to highlight certain aspects of the theme and how it is becoming an increasingly significant part of our collective existences, rapidly.
“Wellbeing of Women” is the only UK-based charity actively researching (and funding researches) on issues relating to women’s fertility, pregnancy and birth complications, gynaecological cancers, and “Wellbeing issues” which include “areas of women’s health which affect many of us, can feel embarrassing and are often little understood such as incontinence, menopause and endometriosis”. This definition of well-being is of great consequence because it clearly demonstrates the ‘female’ body is inseparable from the individual mind which inhabits that body. However, this mind-body equation is not as simple as it looks in this case. What can we define to be the standard ‘female’ body and how much of the individual’s mind is independent and/or dependent on it? Moreover, in the patriarchal history of society, a historically subjugated subject position encapsulated in the term ‘woman’ and ‘female’ body do not convey the extent and varied range of oppressive histories. This apparent ‘invisible’ history of the woman, of her body and mind, has been the subject of countless discussions in living rooms and libraries, to borrow the famous phrase- ‘much ink has been spilled over it’.But then, the question before us remains- why, in the twenty-first century, 2021 to be precise, have we decided to base our discussions for an entire year on this seemingly old ‘woman’s question'? Why haven’t we gotten over it already?
I believe every woman reading this article knows the answer, and is nodding in agreement. Yes, we are in agreement about the lack of representation of our past history and our present contribution to human society. We are acknowledging the fact that we have centuries of silence between us and our ancestors, and the first time ‘women’ got the right to vote or be voted, was almost only a hundred years ago. We as women are saying that there is more to us, more connections and interconnections, assembling us together under the umbrella of being ' women' than just being the ‘female’ body and mind. The male-female binary is yet to be completely shattered and the spectrum of gender is yet to be ‘scientifically’, ‘legally’, ‘socially’ and ‘historically’ established. These influences of dominant ideologies and radical breakthroughs have always, majorly been male- in approach, outlook, implementation. When these abstract ideas conceived of the future world, they were, by default, thinking of a world for males. This has massively affected and continues to disturb the physical, emotional, psychological well-being of the female subjectivity.
The latter part of well-being is flourishing, both are two ends of the same line of feminist struggle against patriarchy, capitalism, racism, homophobia, casteism and every other rigid ideology which fails to truly acknowledge the dynamic constitution of the human self. A huge part of the bridge between well-being and flourishing for the female subjectivity is crossing the bridge of shame. Society- parents, relatives, non-relatives, colleagues, peers, and others, keep on piling a ton of shame on the ‘woman’ for choosing her self- its wellbeing and flourishing. Throughout this session, all our blog articles at WDC, attempt to question this shame- why should we be ashamed of taking care of ourselves, or of wanting something good/ better/ best for us alone? We plan to interrogate many more such assumptions relating to gender, sexuality and lived reality of ‘women’. We have already conducted some very successful events and webinars on the same- a panel discussion and a mental health webinar as well. We are aiming to talk more about this topic, in the near future, too. In the end, if just in case, complacency gets the better of our readers, I shall restate some words by the legend herself, Alice Walker- “Activism is my rent for living on the planet”.
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About the author:
Pronita Tripathi is currently studying English Literature at Delhi University. She is an art enthusiast with a love for writing, reading and cinema. She hopes to debunk the multiple stereotypes associated with Humanities Studies and become a worthy English Professor to her future students. She can’t wait to meet them! On most days Pronita chooses sleep over everything else, and on some everything else over sleep.
This is so beautifully written!! ❤️