I’ve been a bit quiet and irregular here for various reasons, mainly because the reason why I started this newsletter more than a year ago came to pass. Which meant if I wanted to avoid turning this into a vanity project, I had to be clear why I continue writing it. And I realised that the part I love most is sharing (shouting about) the successes of other women. So going forward, I may or may not always have a topic with each edition. I’ll only say something when I really need to/want to (which has also been all the times I have previously). But I love keeping track of all the big ways in which women win in the world and I want to continue putting this list together.
I realised that doing this — celebrating other women — has helped me develop greater self-love. Writing this newsletter has helped me find my voice as the woman I’ve always been but didn’t know how to be.
I want this revised newsletter to be more regular than once a month but for now, let’s start with that. This will be the only newsletter this month though because I’m taking time off for Ramadan. But in May, I’ll be back with more.
I hope you’re taking care of yourself and crushing it at what makes your heart happy.
In Women Wins
Writing with Fire — It’s massive that a film produced and directed by a woman based around a central female character about a woman-run news organisation in rural India became the first feature-length documentary from the country to make it to the Oscars. It’s hard not to love every bit of that. Absolutely watch it when you get the chance to. I just can’t say I was blown away by it…as much as I wanted to be.
The Good Girls — Only Sonia Faleiro can make a story about gender-based caste violence not read like something thick, heavy and oppressive. It was through her writing that I learnt about the red-light district in Mumbai and it’s her writing again that’s taken me through parts of rural UP I know nothing about. I was a bit disappointed with the end but I did enjoy the book.
Some stories stay with you — Corinne Redfern’s story about a woman trafficked into a brothel for 1843* is one I can’t get out of my head. We’re so quick to judge people, making wild assumptions about why or how someone is in a terrible situation — the woman in an abusive relationship who won’t leave, the unhoused person you walk past each day on the corner of your street, your maid’s child who dropped out of school. What we often forget is how fine the line between options and none is and the difference having a single adult looking out for you and loving you can make. *You need to register to read this story, but it’s free and 100 percent worth it.
There are few things I love as much as seeing a woman, especially a woman of colour, rise in a newsroom.
Meera Selva is the new CEO of Internews Europe
Sara Yasin is Managing Editor at LA Times
Ketanji Brown Jackson has just become the first Black woman to be appointed to the US Supreme Court. Are you also wondering why it’s taken more than 200 years to see this happen?
And Zara, seriously do better!
This is the energy we all need this month, this year, through life. This is also my new favourite Instagram account.
There’s a ginger tom cat freely strolling outside my window for the past couple of days who is as gorgeous and warm as sunshine and buttered toast. He wears no collar and I’m so tempted to make him mine. Which made me think, we have so many damaging tropes of women, of which “crazy cat lady” is so popular. But like a friend pointed out, a woman living on her own with a bunch of cats — is that really so bad? Did anyone ask “cat lady” whether she thought her life was awful or was that just something made big for everyone else to believe?
How many other such damaging stereotypes are we holding on to?
See you next month!
xx
AA
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