#BadBeti

Coined by GTA based artists Babbu The Painter and Hate Copy, the term “bad beti”— meaning “bad daughter” in Hindi— is used to connote the limitations emplaced on young South Asian women by their parents. Grappling with the struggle between traditional customs and growing up as rebellious and curious teens in Canada, the artists’ use of this term has come to symbolize a shift in the representation of South Asian women in fashion and art in the GTA. One look at the #badbeti hashtag on Instagram produces an edgy take on the traditional: perfectly arched brows dotted with decorative bindis, Desi girls with bold red or black sneered lips, adorned in bridal jewellery and garb, staring defiantly into the camera as if to say, “I’m not your daughter.” And they aren’t. They’re women all of their own.

While much of Babbu and Hate Copy’s art stands as a critique of gender norms and patriarchy, they also advocate for a new emerging form of identity, one that merges the traditional with the contemporary, mingling South Asian roots with their Canadian identity.

This redefining of cultural aesthetic extends directly into the fashion world through designers like Mani Jassal, a Brampton based bridal couture designer. Like Babbu and Hate Copy, Jassal explores and merges her two often opposing cultures. Relentless and unapologetic of what makes her unique, Jassal’s respect for the traditions of her culture is shown through the intricate beading on her lenghas, the attention to detail, and the celebration of colour in every piece— with a twist. Embroidered on her skirts are marijuana leaves— she advocates for the duality of her pieces, promoting her sari tops as club-ready essentials. Not to be forgotten, her pride for Toronto and her Canadian home is relatable in her homages to the incomparable 6ix God, via captions on Instagram. The pride she has for her roots as well as her hometown are evident in her work.

These women are cool, they’re effortless, they’re cultured, they’re making a mark on the art and fashion worlds, and they’re identifiable; they’re like myself and many at Queen’s— balancing the weight of dual cultural identities. “Caught” between identities, these creatives are rather, exploring and celebrating them, and this is important. For all its beauty and intrigue, South Asian culture is often overlooked, perhaps for being seen as inaccessible to those unfamiliar with its customs. Creatives like Babbu the Painter, Hate Copy, and Mani Jassal, in “modernizing” the traditional via art and fashion, make accessible a culture that is often forgotten and thus not properly celebrated. These artists are bringing to the forefront the beauty of traditional South Asian culture specifically by altering and individualizing it. Those who peruse the #badbeti hashtag, or ogle Jassal’s edgy, Drake-curated designs, are unknowingly being introduced to facets of South Asian culture, and appreciating it. In a period where cultural appropriation in fashion is an issue, it’s refreshing to see not only South Asians, but South Asian women celebrating their cultural identities

By Katherine Singh