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💬 Discussion-Based Conversations
“What’s one toxic beauty or gender standard you internalized from South Asian TV or Instagram? How did it impact your mental health?” “My name is Meherunissa Altaf Qureshi. I was named after my dadi, who used to say a woman’s name should sound like poetry when spoken aloud. But for most of my life, I felt like I was failing that poetry — like I was a clumsy first draft in a world that demanded final edits.” “The most toxic standard I internalized? That a woman’s silence is more beautiful than her voice. That a ‘good girl’ is quiet, fair-skinned, slim-waisted, and endlessly accommodating. South Asian TV reinforced this day…
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⚔️ Double Pressure = Double Damage
“South Asian women are trapped in a double cage: one built by unrealistic Western ideals on social media, and the other by regressive South Asian narratives in media. No wonder anxiety and depression are through the roof.” South Asian women are stuck in a double cage — and no one’s really talking about it. On one side, we’ve got Western social media ideals constantly telling us what “beauty” and “success” look like:💄 Flawless skin, tiny waist, soft glam, effortlessly rich girl vibes.📈 Hustle culture masked as “that girl” routines.📸 The pressure to be aesthetic 24/7 — or risk being invisible. And on the other side?We’ve got our own cultural narratives…
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“Is South Asian Media Doing Enough to Break the Stigma Around Mental Health for Women?”
IntroductionMental health is a critical topic that affects millions of people worldwide, but in South Asian communities, it’s often shrouded in silence, especially when it comes to women. For decades, mental health issues were considered a taboo subject, especially for women, who were expected to conform to rigid societal norms of behavior. However, as South Asian cinema, television, and OTT platforms expand, they increasingly portray characters struggling with mental health issues—some tackling the subject with sensitivity, others trivializing it for entertainment. But the question remains: Is South Asian media doing enough to break the stigma around mental health for women? 1. The History of Mental Health in South Asian Media…
Daughters of Strength, Bosses by Choice