The Observer An IIJNM publication
Vol. 21, Issue 10
Tourists are troubled as ASI has allowed only electronic tickets at Tipu Sultan’s palace | P 2
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
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People self-diagnose amid the pandemic with an easy access to the Internet | P 2
Bengaluru has Not all people who have menstrual cycles were females at birth a dubious The queer feel distinction: High excluded, wary dowry deaths of visiting docs T By Shristi Achar A
Parents who can’t pay cash give other valuables By Tina Freese
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engaluru is among the top metropolitan cities to have a high rate of dowry deaths, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s latest report of the year 2020, the rate for dowry deaths in Bengaluru is 0.7. It is 2.2 for Kanpur, 1.8 for Jaipur, 1.4 for Delhi; and 0.1 for Kolkata. A crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of the cases that are reported by the city’s total population. The result is then multiplied by one lakh. Demanding and giving dowry is common all over India. In many cases, women are subjected to physical and domestic abuse. Saumya Dixit, 28, who was married when she was 19, shared: “They (the in-laws) asked for a refrigerator, double bed, and money of course. My parents gave everything, but after marriage, they used to taunt me saying ‘she didn’t get anything as dowry’.” She suffered a miscarriage due to violence by her husband.. She has divorced her husband now. Chandrakala, a tea vendor in Bengaluru, informed The Ob-
server: “During my daughter’s wedding, they asked for cash. We could not do that, so we gave gold jewellery instead. Even after the marriage, they kept asking for money.We didn’t have it, so we could not give it.” Her daughter was a victim of domestic abuse. Divaynshi Jain, 21, whose sister got married recently, said: “The groom’s family demanded Rs 11 lakh in cash along with jewellery and furniture. We had to also bear the cost of the wediing functions and everything else. We spent about Rs 30 lakh in all. My sister didn’t have a say in the matter, not even my mother. It’s an age-old tradition that is patriarchal and unnecessary. It felt like we were selling something.” Yogita Bhayana, an activist for women’s issues, said: “Bengaluru is a cosmopolitan city; but, unfortunately, dowry deaths are still happening. Somewhere it shows the reality of our country. Bengaluru, a modern city, has so many cases of dowry deaths because it’s not just about the mindset but also a cultural thing. This system is a part of their culture and it becomes a matter of pride when a bride comes to her inlaws’ house with a huge dowry.” People accused of taking dowry usually get away easily. Bhayana added. “It is very difficult for the parents or family members to keep fighting for justice.” ►Continued on page 3
here is little to no conversation that happens around menstruation that involves queer people in India, say people across the gender spectrum. Menstruation is the biological process when people with uteruses bleed every month. Traditionally, the process has been associated only with cis-gendered women (those whose gender identity is the same as the sex assigned at birth). The National Family Health Survey 5 has statistics about the percentage of women surveyed who use hygienic menstrual products. However, the classification there is only that of women; it does not involve ‘‘menstruating people’. The notion that only women menstruate is widespread not
Tiffin services are returning to normal biz
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iffin services in Bengaluru are slowly reviving, reports Simran Sharma. With IT companies and colleges reopening in the city, more and more people are using tiffin services. Bachelors and students are their main customers of it. Even though restaurants have reopened in the city , some people prefer home-cooked meals from these tiffin services.Some tiffin services say that they have retained their original customer base after the lockdown Some tiffin services are, however, still struggling to revive. Most tiffin businesses incurred losses during the pandemic as the city was completely shut down. But some tiffin services did see a rise in their business during the lockdown.Many people suffering from Covid could not cook themselves and opted for tiffins. ►Details on page 3
Menstruation is not exclusive to women | Credit: Shristi Achar A only among policymakers and the government, but among the general public as well. The Rotary Club of Seshadripuram, Bengaluru, had initiated Project Sthree, a menstruation awareness campaign. “We weren’t aware of the fact that there are menstruators apart from women. Additionally, our programme earlier included only adolescent girls. Only now have we begun to include adult women. Likewise, we haven’t found that people in general also are aware about it,” said Lavanya E, president of the club. But a campaign
about menstruation awareness, one that is inclusive of queer people is being planned out. Sreya Mallick, a transman from Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “It was initially tough for me to accept going through the menstruation process. When you are struggling to find comfort in your own body, it becomes a hurdle to accept bleeding every month. You will tend to hide as much as possible. I still remember I once struggled to ask for a sanitary napkin from a friend as I couldn’t accept the fact that I was bleeding like other ‘females’.” Sanjana S, a copywriter from Thane, said the hetero-normative environment (a concept that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal mode of sexual orientation) around her doesn’t help. “Growing up, I didn’t relate with the typical period symptoms people around me had. I still played sports, because I thought it was normal. That was until my mother told girls shouldn’t. But I wasn’t willing to be called a girl.” ►Continued on page 3
News briefs IMD issues red alert in Tamil Nadu The India Meteorological Department has sounded a red alert in Tamil Nadu for the next three days till Thursday. In a bulletin it issued at noon on Tuesday, IMD predicted “light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at isolated places” in the state.
2 drug cos announce new pills to treat Covid-19
US pharma giants Merck and Pfizer have announced encouraging results for oral drugs Molnupiravir and Paxlovid that can be used to treat Covid-19 and prevent hospitalization. This is being considered as a major step forward in the fight against Covid.
Pandemic led to rise in demand for cash: Govt
Uncertainties on account of the Covid-19 pandemic have increased the demand for currency notes not only in India but across the globe, official sources said on
Tuesday, dismissing the criticism that demonetization failed to reduce cash in the economy.
After Pak, China decides to give Delhi talks a miss
After Pakistan’s refusal last week, China has cited “scheduling issues” to convey that it will not participate in the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10. While the two neighbours have chosen to stay away, the other key countries in the region — Russia, Iran,Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — are expected to participate.
Gehlot wants excise duty on fuel cut further
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday urged PM Modi to further reduce excise duty on motor fuels to provide relief to the people. In a letter to him, Gehlot also requested that a directive be issued to oil companies to stop increases in fuel prices so that people get the benefit of reduced excise duty.
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The Observer Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Tourists hassled as ASI allows only e-tickets at Tipu’s palace
Measure was introduced after Covid outbreak By Swarali Bodas
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nly people with smartphones who have access to mobile or netbanking are allowed to enter Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace in Chamarajpet, A ticket costs Rs. 20. People have to scan a QR code, at the entrance of the palace. Scanning, takes one to the website of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). After that, one has to enter one’s name and ID proof and then pay through netbanking or UPI. Cash or card payment is not allowed. Then, one gets an e-ticket that must be shown to the guard before entering the premises. Neelam Kunju, a security guard at the summer palace, informed The Observer that the QR code system was introduced after the Covid-19 outbreak. “We don’t accept cash anymore. These are orders given by ASI.” Sudha Rajendra, a Bengalurean visiting the palace with her husband, said: “My husband scanned the QR code and they asked for ID proofs. The whole process lasted 10-12 minutes. If I had come alone, then maybe it would have been difficult because I am a little slow with Internet.” Grishma Nair, a student from
Around the city Weekday Blues Comedy Show, Marcopolo Cafe, Koramangala, Bengaluru, November 9 onwards at 8:00 p.m Sunday Soul Sante, Jayamahal Palace Hotel, Bengaluru, November 14, 10 a.m onwards Masala Sandwich by Amit Tandon, Stand up comedy, Tavarekere, BOHO Rooftop Restaurant and Bar, Bengaluru, November 12, 6:30 p.m. Sunny Tunes, Concert at Hard Rock Cafe Bengaluru, November 14 1:00 PM onwards. Whose Mic Is It Anyway: Open Mic Nights, Dialogues Cafe, JP Nagar, Bengaluru,November 13 at 6:00 pm. Coffee Painting Workshop by Kavya, Dialogues Cafe, JP Nagar, Bengaluru, Saturday, November 13 at 12 noon
Quiz 1. Which is the most commonly used cooking oil in South India? 2. What is the national vegetable of India? 3. Strawberry is a good source of which vitamin? 4. Where does coffee originate from? 5. Which city in India is famous for its street food- vada pav and pav bhaji? 6. Rogan Josh is the signature dish of which cuisine?
The ground floor has paintings by British painter James Hunter, who painted landscapes of South India. | Credit: Swarali Bodas Christ University, shared: “The cessing the Internet. “I do have a whole process was a bit long for smartphone but don’t know how me. Just to get to the security to use Internet very well. It is difscan at the entrance and waiting ficult for a senior citizen like me for my turn took 10-15 minutes.” to come here alone. I later visited Then getting tickets took another with my daughter and son-in-law. 5-6 minutes. There was chaos be- They should accept cash.” cause people weren’t able to figThe QR code works only if you ure out how the process was. have a stable Internet connection. Leela Bhopatkar, 89, couldn’t Unfortunately for Ashtha Tiwari, visit the palace when she first a college student, this was the went there as she faced issues ac- reason she couldn’t enter the
palace. The Jio network was down all over the country on October 6, 2021. “Since my Internet was down, I couldn’t scan the QR code and they weren’t accepting cash. So I couldn't visit the palace. I couldn’t even book an Ola cab that day,” she said. However, the whole process was quite easy for Madhur T, a tourist from Tamil Nadu visiting the palace. “Everything was smooth. I scanned, entered details and got tickets for me and my family. My internet was fast,” he said. Shaji John, Assistant Information Officer at ASI said: “We were given orders by the headquarters in Delhi about these new guidelines. These are enforced because of Covid. This is not only in Bengaluru, but all over India in monuments that come under ASI.” Asked how it was before the pandemic, he said: “We accepted everything before Covid — cash, card, netbanking...Now cash and cards aren’t allowed. But these restrictions will be lifted very soon now, in one or two weeks.” Construction of the palace was started in 1781 by Hyder Ali and completed by his son, Tipu Sultan, in 1791. Situated on Tipu Sultan Palace Road in Chamarajpet, it is open between 8.30 am to 5.30 pm every day. It is an excellent example of Indo-Islamic architecture and it has paintings by James Hunter, a British painter who painted different landscapes of Southern India. swarali.b@iijnm.org
Citizen’s Voice Power cuts are disrupting the lives of people Residents of Indiranagar have been plagued by power cuts due to various ongoing projects. Last week, for many days, there was no electricity for seven hours at a stretch. This is a huge problem, especially in today’s work-fromhome life. Many people fell behind on their work as they couldn’t charge their laptops or access the Internet. While Bengaluru envisions schemes under the Smart Grid and Smart City works, it is important that people’s daily life are not disrupted. Mrunmayee Kulkarni
Mobile checks by the police are wrong
To prevent people from falling prey to drug peddlers, the Telangana government is indulging in inappropriate conduct. Police are checking people not for helmet or driving licence violations, but for drugs. Checks of their mobile phones for drugs-related messages has troubled commuters. Snigdha Voruganti
There’s no transparency during the cricket toss
The toss in cricket is very important as it can decide the fate of a match. However, there is a flaw: When the coin is tossed, the camera never focuses on the coin when it lands on the ground. Since Big Bash League in Australia has replaced coin toss with bat flip, the outcome is visible to all. With all the technology and transparency that cricket is bringing in with each tournament, this should be looked into. Bansal Shah
Easy access to Internet leads to more people self-diagnosing amid pandemic Doctors say this can endanger people’s health By Saumyangi Yadav
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ith easy access to the Web, more and more people have been self-diagnosing during the covid-19 pandemic. This poses an immense threat to people’s health, according to the experts. Amit Maheshwari, a general physician practising in Bengaluru, explained to The Observer: “I get a lot of cases like these. People self-diagnose and do not come for consultation until their condition has worsened severely. It is always better to get a proper diagnosis during the early stages, even if it is a minor health condition, because what we prescribe to a patient is usually based on what other health problems he or she might have. Maybe some medication might trigger these other ailments, but when
People still buy non prescribed drugs and endanger their lives | Credit: Saumyangi Yadav people take medicines without a prescription, they do not keep these factors in mind.” Many people also take excessive doses of their medications. Isha Rastogi, whose father is a diabetes patient, said: “My father always self-diagnoses. During the festive season, when he eats a lot of sweets, he takes two of the prescribed tablets instead of one without asking the doctor beforehand. I am concerned and I always tell him off for this.” People who have some knowl-
edge about medications also contribute to this situation by prescribing people basic medicines. Pravin Gupta, an accounts officer, said: “I have been working in a hospital for very long now. Generally, we know some basic medication that is prescribed to patients....When my family and friends consult me during an emergency, I prescribe them the same. People avoid going for consultations these days because of traffic, added expenses or Covid fear in hospitals. So they seek these shortcuts for prescriptions.” Rajath Pejaver, a Bengaluru neonatologist, discourages this habit completely. “Many drugs contain ingredients that some people might be fatally allergic to. We have to be conscious about that while prescribing any medication. People who do not have proper knowledge of medicine will not know these things. Even professionals sometimes make major mistakes in this area; you cannot expect any other person to be that careful,” he said. Similar problems occur when people follow prescriptions that
are available on the Web. “I have seen many YouTubers make videos about what people should take for their illness. This might lead to very serious, even fatal, health problems,” he added. Dr. Maheshwari said: “Home remedies are another reason that people avoid a proper prescription and consultation. People read these DIY home remedies on the Internet and do not get actual medication until it is very late. Not that these remedies are harmful, but many times they don’t help in any major way.” Pharmacists in Bengaluru see many such customers. Yogesh Tiwari, the owner of MedPlus, Banashankari, shared: “Out of 100 or 150 customers that we get in a day, 20 to 30 percent come without any proper prescription.” The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, regulates the import, manufacture and distribution of drugs in the country. The Act lists several drugs as ‘prescription drugs’. It is illegal to sell prescription drugs without a proper prescription from a professional. saumyangi.y@iijnm.org
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The Observer Tuesday, November 9, 2021
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Tiffin businesses start returning to life as the pandemic subsides Most consumers are bachelors and students By Simran Sharma
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iffin services are gradually reviving as the city opens up post lockdown. Hitesh Kumar from Rootiyan Tiffin Services, informed The Observer: “We function near Old Airport Road and our services mainly catering to the IT sector. During the lockdown, we did not find any boom in our business because IT was shut and everyone went home. Now, since the city has opened up, especially with companies reopening, our business is coming back to normal.’’ Masala Box, a renowned tiffin service, did not incur much losses in terms of their customer base post lockdown. Priya R. from the company said: -“Some people were in quarantine and hence were ordering food from us, but after that, they stopped ordering. A lot of people working in Bengaluru still order home-cooked meals from us every day.” Sameer Bhatnagar, who formerly owned Tiffin Pack Services, said during the lockdown, his business boomed a lot, but he had to shut it down due to personal reasons. Though everything has opened up and people are order-
Quiz answers 1. Coconut Oil 2. Pumpkin 3. Vitamin C 4.Ethiopia 5. Mumbai 6. Kashmiri cuisine
Twitterati Talk @BLRSmartCity_MD #BenSCL has issued instructions to ensure the #roads around #SmartCity are #pothole-free. Smooth rides coming soon!
Team Observer Editor: Tina Freese Reporters: Tina Freese, Saumyangi Yadav, Simran Sharma, Shristi Achar A, Swarali Bodas Copy editors: Saumyangi Yadav, Simran Sharma, Shristi Achar A, Swarali Bodas Page Layout: Saumyangi Yadav, Simran Sharma, Shristi Achar A, Swarali Bodas Photo editors: Saumyangi Yadav, Simran Sharma, Shristi Achar A, Swarali Bodas, Tina Freese Supplement: Ayndrila Banerjee, Anisha Reddy
People who live alone usually prefer tiffin service to restaurants as its food is homemade and healthier | Courtesy: Atashi Sharma ing food from the market, they still have to order regular tiffins 4 or 5 days a week. “One cannot eat out every day. Finances, the quantity of food being provided and many other things come into play. Opening of the market has not badly impacted this business. It is just that people are going for restaurant food, but they still are consuming tiffin food.” Saket Vardhan, who runs a tiffin service, said: “When everything was shut, people went away and Whitefield was closed, our business went down. Then, there was this phase where Covid patients were increasing so our number of orders increased. Since the lockdown is over, our business is gradually coming back on track. Almost everything is open-
ing up, especially offices, so this has given us some respite.” Contrary to that, some tiffin services are still finding it difficult to revive their business. Sanjeev Sajjal, owner of Desi Tiffin Box said: “In the lockdown period, our business increased because people had limited access to homemade food. Since everything is opening up, now people have an option to eat out. Post-lockdown, our business has not been as good as it was during the lockdown because many customers have stopped using our services. Now, cooks and house help are also available so only bachelors or students who are looking for regular meal services come to us.” As offices are opening up, many people are ordering tiffins. Jaski-
ran Singh, a journalist working in Bengaluru, said: “I have been using tiffins for the past four months after I came back from home. During the pandemic, I was at home, so food was not a problem there. I prefer tiffins over restaurant food because it is homemade. Even though it is a commercial kitchen, its food still tastes like home. The chapatis I get in restaurants are made from maida and I don’t like them. The cost is also significantly less.” His office used to provide meals to their employees, but they stopped after the pandemic subsided. S.R. Keshava, who is an economics professor at Bengaluru University, said: “Now that people are not fearful about a third wave, demand has increased. People are going back to offices and everything is opening up, so this has an impact on everything, like rent, electricity, food, and a lot of other such things.” During the lockdown, many people started tiffin businesses. Deccan Herald reported that many well-known restaurants and catering services started tiffin services in the beginning of the pandemic. Many of these businesses saw their customer base shrink during this period. A similar situation was faced by the dabbawalas of Mumbai. Being badly hit by the pandemic they were looking for other ventures, India Today reported. simran.s@iijnm.org
This day that year The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, when the head of the East German Communist Party announced that citizens of the German Democratic Republic could not cross the border whenever they pleased. The official purpose of this Berlin Wall was to keep the Western “fascists” from entering East Germany and undermining the socialist state. To this day, the Berlin Wall remains one of the most powerful and enduring symbols of the Cold War.
Quote of the day “Journalism largely consists in saying ‘Lord Jones is dead’ to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive.” – G.K. Chesterton
Weather Maximum temp:24°C Minimum temp: 18°C Precipitation: 60% Humidity: 78% Wind: 11 km/h UV Index: Low, 2
Lack of menstrual care Dowry system also prevalent among educated people for the queer community ►Continued from page 1 he psychological aspect is just one side of the story. Asked about access to healthcare, Mallick added: “As you are not comfortable talking to even your close ones about this, you won’t be able to make doctors or specialists understand the problems you’re having.” The dismal discussion about menstruating people has led to very few people approaching doctors. Dr Gayathri, a gynecologist, said: “Any person with a uterus is going to bleed. But in my ten years of practice, I have only come across transgendes for sex-reassignment surgeries. I’ve almost never come across transmen with issues related to periods or even other healthcare problems.” Kanmani Ray, a lawyer and transwoman, said: “Let’s say I am transitioning, wanting to be a woman, and so undergo hormone medication. In that situation, I might be experiencing those monthly cycles because of the hormonal changes, but I would not bleed. I might still be exhausted, experiencing cramps, etc. And when I go to a gynecologist, the assumption is that I am a fertile woman with a uterus.” Uma, a transwoman from JEEVA Organisation, spoke
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about another aspect. “While transmen face issues because they get their periods while not wanting to, some transwomen face issues of not getting periods. That situation creates a feeling in them as if they aren’t feminine enough to be a women.” Mihir R, a researcher at the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR), Bengaluru, said there is a major policy vacuum with regard to queer healthcare. “When there are campaigns related to menstruation, like giving out free pads, it is only about cis-gendered women.. During Covid, basic healthcare like hospital beds were denied to trans persons. How will such concerns be addressed?” Mansi Singh, a research associate at CLPR, thinks such efforts should be localized. : “Since menstruation itself is exclusionary for women, considering the lack of access to clean water, privacy and safe spaces to change pads…, the added stigma attached with queer people menstruating never makes it to the mainstream. In such situations, inclusion of healthcare provisions, especially regarding menstruation into policy, though necessary, won’t bear results. The effort would be helpful when it is from within the community.” shristi.a@iijnm.org
Dowry often comes disguised as land, gifts or gold | Credit: Pixabay ►Continued from page 1 eema Bhatiya, who is a sociologist, explained that dowry has become something that rich people ike to flaunt. “They are educated people with degrees from foreign universities; they don’t need anyone’s money; but just because they want to show their affluence, they do it.” For middle-class people, it is a way to move forward in life. “Grooms ask for money to invest in some business or to buy goods that they cannot buy. The day a daughter is born, the family starts saving money. This is the kind of patriarchal society we live in. It is very difficult to stop it. It is deep-rooted in our society. There are laws to prevent it, but
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many times it (dowry) is disguised as land, gifts or gold. So laws fail there,” she added. Giving or taking dowry is a punishable offence. Under Section 304B of the IPC, a person found guilty must serve a sentence of at least seven years. This may be extended to life imprisonment. The offence is non-bailable. According to a Bangalore Mirror report, dowry cases are on a sharp rise in the city. In 2019, 748 cases were registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act. The number rose by 60 in 2020. In the north-eastern states, the dowry system is the opposite there: The groom’s family is expected to give dowry to the bride’s family. tina.f@iijnm.org
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Social Media The not-so-perfect picture
The Observer Tuesday, November 9, 2021
SUPPLEMENT
Social media apps tend to promote perfect filtered bodies at the cost of young people’s body image, writes Anisha Reddy
hiseled faces that are cleared off all blemishes, perfectly shaped features, a fit body and of course, a fair skin. Such distorted views are not uncommon while we scroll through social media apps such as Instagram and Snapchat all day long. Three billion users. Yes, that is the number of users who look at such highly-edited and flawless bodies on Instagram and Snapchat everyday.. Based on a study conducted by Science Daily, 90 percent of women on social media have reported using a filter or editing their photos before posting to even out their skin tone, shave off weight, brighten their skin and teeth. “I always use filters because I have body image issues and the filters give me a desired result to how I want to see myself,” said Vani Singh, a college student. She added that all of this happens very consciously. Looking at perfect bodies online often makes people want to “check” their body and alter their appearance. “I try to stand in the sun or at places where there is direct light to my face
while clicking pictures or else I use filters to lighten my skin shade,” said Malavika Murali, a college student. It also makes them want to change themselves to fit into the social media platform’s definition of what is beautiful. “I constantly see work out videos of perfect bodies on Instagram with abs and I feel uncomfortable with my own,” said Akshita Goyal, a 21-yearold. She added that she felt that she had to work out and push her body to reach the right beauty standard but also understood that everybody has their limits and is learning to accept that. Research shows that continuous exposure to such “ideal beauty standards” could contribute to the development of eating disorders and body dysmorphia in men and women. Several hashtags such as #eatclean , #fitgirls and other pro“healthful” eating pages have been in great demand on social
media. In a blog post on Huffpost, Brittany Ladin, a student, pens down her troubling path towards disordered eating due to social media. “I had struggled with my eating disorder for years, and the peak of my sickness coincided with the peak of my social-media obsession. Before I put anything in my mouth (which was not very often), I reached for my phone to snap a picture. I spent hours scrolling through images of naked too-thin bodies, perfectly prepared plates, and images of inspiration to be “healthier.” I wanted to be something else; to become what I saw on my phone’s small, unforgiving screen,” she said in the post
The ease with which photos can be manipulated today adds to this problem of frequent exposure to filtered images. “With apps like Photoshop and Facetune, it is very easy to edit an image quickly and change a lot of features,” said SpentaJassawala, a media student. Not just external apps, features provided by Instagram and Snapchat allow users to greatly alter their features and boost their self-esteem by just one click or a swipe, she added. Additionally, influencers and models on social media who have a lot of following, mainly from young people, promote such manipulated “ideal” body types which makes it hard to differentiate between real and make-believe. “I compare my body to that of fitness influencers and models, and it always makes me feel like I am a long way from achieving the perfect body type,” said Snehi Shah, a college student. The “Be Real” campaignchaired by Mary Glindon MP and YMCA, said that around 58 percent of young people blamed celebrities for their body image expecta-
tions while rest of the respondents blamed social media. The situation, however might not be entirely so grim. There are some safe spaces online like body positivity accounts which promote all kinds of bodies and positively influence its viewers. “I follow Amber Rose, a youtuber who frequently uploads body positive content which helps me a lot,” said Goyal. Such influencers make me feel good about her body, she added. Sometimes the algorithm works out in a way wherein feel-good posts about body image end up showing on her feed, said Danita Yadav, a 20-year-old. Given the negative impact, some social media platforms such as Instagram are making an effort to change. Instagram announced that its algorithm favors content that is not photoshopped. Also, it has banned “plastic surgery” filters. These efforts may not alter established mindsets, entrenched over centuries in society about beauty, skin tone or chiselled bodies, but they could break the mould, at least on social media.
anisha.d@iijnm.org
The wonderful world of memes Memes are a great source of quick and accessible entertainment, but are they reliable, asks Ayndrila Banerjee
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t’s almost impossible to translate a meme into words without losing its true essence. This is perhaps why they are so popular among the young people. A one-liner and a picture. With so many distractions, youngsters seem to find memes the most convenient way to get a few giggles.
Trying to get a sense of why memes are so widely appreciated, Aakanksha Verma, a 23 year old student, said: “My focal point in identifying a type of meme that I would appreciate is when I can relate to them.” Similarly Saurabh Sharma,
another student pursuing law said: “A meme for me is something I would like to pass my time with. If a meme makes me giggle it is mainly because of how relatable it is to me.” Memes often portray the biggest of problems in a satirical way. They are often seen as an escape from reality. A recent example when memes were deployed on a large scale to share emotions was when India lost to Pakistan in the World Cup T20 cricket. Emotions of anger and sorrow could be read through millions of memes curated within minutes of the loss. Understanding the context behind a meme and comprehending the ‘meme language’ is the new cool. Ayush Verma, a full-time “memer” talked about this recently discovered lingo: ‘Stonks’ or ‘ngl’ (not going to lie)’ are part of the new dictionary in the world of memes “They require little or no context when used in appropriate moments. For example, ‘Stonks’ is the deliberate misspelled ‘Stocks’ also known as ‘Crypto’. It’s also used
in certain anecdotal circumstances to show an upward trend in the market,” said he. Ayush and many others use memes to hold conversations. For many others, memes are a great way to break the ice. He said: “Quoting memes in the midst of casual conversations not only keeps it going on for longer but also lightens the mood of those around you.” Nowadays, the fundamental right to speech and expression is being practised through
memes. Youngsters share memes rampantly on their social media profiles. Aakanksha says: “Memes help me to express any kind of emotion I go through. It is also because I feel a sense of security when I share memes on my public profile because I don’t make the memes myself but share somebody else’s content. So, even if the content shows how I am feeling, I don’t have to own it.” There are still some who believe in the power of the word over memes. Sharma says: “I don’t really indulge in expressing myself through memes. In my opinion, memes are just trending waves that come and go. Rather writing a few words help me better express myself.” There is another niche category of memes called “dark memes”. Extremely uncomfortable topics that are normally not discussed openly figure here. While some think this category opens up a platform for speaking the unspeakable, others think they are too offensive. Ayush said: “I am particularly
fond of dark memes. Firstly, unlike regular memes, these require a previous knowledge of the subject that the meme is based on. Secondly, you get to know there are more people out there who have the same humour sense as you, who like their memes on a spicier side.” Memes are a good way to ex-
press oneself but since its primary aim is to draw giggles or laughter, chances of it putting out misinformation are greater. A sound fact-check may be recommended before they are consumed to minimise harm. ayndrila.b@iijnm.org