Impact On Women’s Lives And Women’s Movements
This article was first published in the print edition of Manushi Journal. (Issue-13, Nov-Dec 1982)
While journalists, civil liberties groups and opposition parties all over the country are agitating against the Bihar press bill, it is surprising that most women’s organizations have not actively joined the agitation. Journalist’s unions have gone out of their way to mobilize trade unions, students, youth and other sections of public opinion but have not considered it necessary to involve women’s organizations in protests. Even Manushi as a women’s journal, was not informed of the protest meetings and rallies, and when some of us did attend them, surprise was expressed that we should be interested in this issue, and we were even asked if we had gone there just to sell the magazine, since it was assumed that we are interested only in “women’s issues.” This ghettoization of women’s issues is an effective way of preventing women from challenging social and political decisions which affect their lives…