In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as a woman in India. She talks about the challenges faced by women in India, such as misogyny and discrimination. She also talks about the importance of empathy and exposing children to the real world.
00:00:00 Mahima Vashisht is a former civil servant who runs a newsletter called "Womaning in India." She discusses the challenges women face in a world designed for men, and her book, which is still in progress.
00:05:00 This video tells the story of Mahima Vashisht's family, focusing on her mother's side. Her mother was one of only two siblings after her father's death, and her great-nani was the matriarch of the family. Mahima's father also tells her the story of how his mother refused to live in a refugee colony, and how her mother's efforts as a self-made woman helped her raise her nine children on her own.
00:10:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the challenges and advantages of womaning in India, including the importance of family, education, and values. She shares her experience of moving around a lot as a child, and recounting how her parents built these values into their children. Mahima talks about her class topping achievements, and how she became comfortable adapting to new situations. Her biggest milestone came when she was in 10th grade and fell for a recruitment pitch for a new school in the city.
00:15:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her childhood in India, growing up with her dad in a village and then commuting to see him every week, and the major life changes she experienced in her 10th and 11th grades, including her parents' transfer to Ahmedabad. Mahima's father made a huge sacrifice to keep the family together during Mahima's crucial 10th grade year, when her marks plummeted and she experienced a culture shock moving to a new school. Mahima discusses her experiences during the Gujarat floods of 2014, when her school was relocated to a first floor office. Mahima discusses her personal struggles during her transition to middle school, when she was the new kid and found it difficult to make new friends. Mahima's story illustrates the importance of good parental support, and her story provides hope for other adolescents who are facing difficult transitions.
00:20:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as a woman in engineering in India, discussing the challenges she faced in getting into and succeeding in engineering programs and the ways in which the culture of the engineering schools was hostile to women.
00:25:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as a woman in India. She says that at the time, there was a lot of misogyny and that girls were often punished for going outside of the "box" that society put them in. She also recalls an incident in which a boy was beaten up by other boys. Mahima talks about the difficulty of studying and extracurricular activities in Kurukshetra University, and how her batchmates had given up on both. Finally, Mahima discusses her experience taking the mock test for a coaching class in Kurukshetra.
00:30:00 One Indian woman shares her experiences as a student in India, describing her time at a prestigious university as a "different experience" because there were so many exceptional people from different backgrounds. She talks about her experience of traveling and living abroad, and how academics was not the only thing on her mind. She recalls a funny story of how her classmates treated her Indian school project partner differently because she was from India.
00:35:00 The video discusses the experiences of Mahima Vashisht, a woman from India, as she learned about her grandparents during the time of partition. She also talks about the challenges that women in India faced during this time, such as having to overcome a lack of privilege and the denial that can set in after a traumatic experience. Mahima shares her observations about these challenges, and how they have affected her as a woman.
00:40:00 This YouTube video discusses the importance of strong women in India, specifically in the context of Mahima Vashisht's grandmother, Parnani. Vashisht's grandmother raised Vashisht and his father alone, while also working as a school principal. Vashisht's mother was also a strong woman, who raised her children despite the immense challenges of being a single mother and losing her husband young. In Vashisht's generation, women have reduced the burden of having to work while simultaneously raising children.
00:45:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the importance of having a strong background in order to achieve success in any field. She points out that background plays a big role in who we are and what we are like, and how it can affect our free will and choice. Mahima also shares her observations about the current state of India, noting that change will only come from the small towns and from young people who are more willing to break convention.
00:50:00 The video discusses the effects of education and privilege on a person's mindset and how a parent can try to give their child a taste of reality. It also discusses a blog post about lowering a person's IQ and the author's experiences with raising a child in privilege.
00:55:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as a woman in India, where she has seen first-hand the difficulties and challenges faced by those who are less fortunate. She discusses the importance of having empathy for others, and the importance of exposing children to the real world through experiences such as celebrating birthdays in a shelter for rescue animals.
In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences working in India as a woman. She shares how she overcame challenges in the company, including the culture, and how her experiences changed her perspective on India and the world.
01:00:00 The woman in the video points out that, while women tend to experience imposter syndrome more often than men, it is also a problem for men, too. She discusses an article she read where a male HR leader said that out of the pool of candidates, only the woman was unanimously considered to be qualified for the job. The woman also discusses an example from her own life of how she played games with people in order to maintain her confidence. Finally, the woman points out that, while it is easy to be confident, it is also very difficult to maintain that level of confidence over a long period of time.
01:05:00 Mahima Vashisht talks about how circles of female solidarity can help women overcome imposter syndrome. She also emphasizes the importance of male allies in this fight, as men often take women for granted.
01:10:00 In this essay, the author talks about her experiences as a woman in India in the 1990s. She describes how she thought that female friendships were inferior to male friendships and how, over time, she has realized that this is not the case. The author also discusses the importance of female friendships in one's life and the shared experiences that they can share.
01:15:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences growing up in India and how she didn't become aware of misogyny until much later in life, when she started to see the ways it was impacting her friendships and relationships. She explains that this cultural shift happened in the 2000s and early 2010s, and that it was a gradual process of awareness for her.
01:20:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses how, over time, she has come to think of herself as a feminist. She notes that, while the term " feminism " was first introduced to the Western world through movies, it was not until later that the narrative of female representation in pop culture began to be questioned. Mahima describes how, gradually, the environment became more conducive to female emancipation, with changes in society and the introduction of new movies. She shares that, even though she did not have a specific plan for her career, she was able to achieve her goals through taking decisive steps and following her intuition.
01:25:00 In India, Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as an engineer and life lessons learned there, as well as in Iam, Ahmedabad, where she lived while attending university. She notes that in both places, her academic accomplishments and confidence in her abilities to lead and motivate others were shaped by other lessons, such as humility and a "toxic" system that pushes students to be better than others at any cost.
01:30:00 This woman tells the story of how she decided to pursue a career in the civil service after completing her MBA. She says that, growing up, she always knew she wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer, but the exam that was the biggest prestige in her society – the civil service exam – was always an attractive option. After her father, who was already in the Indian equivalent of the American military, entered the Indian State Service, she knew she had to follow in his footsteps. However, her rebel spirit and lack of success in the private sector led her to abandon those plans and pursue a career in the civil service. She eventually landed a position in the bureaucracy and is now enjoying a successful career. However, she says that, despite her success, she has never forgotten her original goals and still believes that happiness lies wherever people define it for themselves.
01:35:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the hardships she experienced during her time at an elite, multinational investment bank in the late 2000s. She credits her failures during her final placements as a valuable lesson in humility, as it gave her a greater understanding of what real people are like and helped her develop more realistic expectations for her future.
01:40:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences working in India as a woman in a small consulting firm. She shares how she overcame challenges in the company, including the culture, and how her experiences changed her perspective on India and the world.
01:45:00 This video discusses Mahima Vashisht's experience with womaning in India, and how she realized the importance of trying to change the current system. She then talks about her decision to take a year off to prepare for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) exam, and how she was lucky to find a coaching center that was willing to help her prepare.
01:50:00 The video discusses how Mahima Vashisht, a woman in India, benefited from taking classes and studying classical notes in addition to public administration and sociology. She then passed her mains exams with only a small margin and got into an Indian information service, which she found to be life-changing.
01:55:00 This YouTube video features Mahima Vashisht, an Indian woman who has worked in the government bureaucracy. Vashisht discusses her reasons for wanting to work in the government, and how she was disillusioned by the lack of change she saw within the bureaucracy. She eventually left the government and now works as a journalist.
In this YouTube video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the importance of womaning in India. She shares her experience as a civil servant and provides advice for those thinking of entering the field. She also discusses her decision to leave government to pursue a career in development.
02:00:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the importance of womaning in India, the reasons why so many people want to become civil servants, and the difficulties that often arise. She also discusses her experience as a civil servant, sharing advice for those who are thinking of entering the field.
02:05:00 In this YouTube video, Mahima Vashisht, a 60-year-old woman and 65-year-old man talk about how their careers have been determined by their scores on an exam, and how the system is designed to keep people from growing and contributing. They also talk about how one's incentives are important in the system, and how the exam is wrong because it is a single exam for all service positions.
02:10:00 This YouTube video discusses how people in the Indian government workforce are often not suited for their jobs, due to random factors like their upbringing and interests. The author talks about his experience working in the Indian Forest Service, and how he noticed that most of the senior officers were still talking about Marxism after many years of service. He eventually realized that the senior officers were giving speeches like this to comfort the employees, rather than motivating them to continue trying. He eventually left the government because he felt that the system was rigged in favor of the senior officers and was not fair to the employees.
02:15:00 Mahima Vashisht, a woman in India, talks about the challenges and opportunities she has faced in her work life. She discusses the importance of having a job that is both prestigious and is fulfilling, and the toll that high-stress jobs can take on a person. Mahima advocates for more active social media presence from government officials, and discusses the personal experience of being handpicked for a high-stress job and then having to deal with the pressures that come with it.
02:20:00 The video discusses the difficulties of working as a woman in India, specifically in the field of service. Mahima Vashisht describes a job that was very passive and lacked any challenge, as well as low self-esteem among many service employees. She eventually decided to quit her position, and her seniors were both supportive and enthusiastic about her decision. She also had an exit interview with the Minister of State for Personnel, Rajwada Singh Rathore.
02:25:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as a woman in India working in the government, and her decision to leave government to pursue a career in development. She shares her experience of working with dual leadership, and explains how her experience in government prepared her for her current position in a development organization.
02:30:00 Mahima Vashisht, a woman working in the Indian government, discusses her experience working with and for a career sanitation person in order to set an example for other government employees. She discusses the importance of setting ambitious goals, and how her mentor, the career sanitation person, ensured that everyone on his team was passionate about achieving them. She concludes by discussing her experience with the country's new sanitation campaign, Pat Salme Odhi Indi, and how her team is working hard to achieve its lofty goal of 100% open defecation free India by 2 October 2020.
02:35:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the womaning movement in India. She points out that rural women have more agency and are able to lead the movement because their incentives are aligned. She also notes that women are not the only ones affected by open defecation, and that the problem is men, not women. Anushka Sharma is announced as the new brand ambassador for the womaning movement.
02:40:00 This woman explains the benefits of open defecation eradication in India, and how the government's program has led to significant change in sanitation coverage and health for the population. Five years ago, 650 million people went out and defecated in the open, and one billion people in the world did the same. However, the program has been a success, with 100% of the country now covered in toilets. The video was filmed in 2018 or earlier.
02:45:00 This YouTube video features a conversation between two people, Mahima Vashisht and Akash Kumar, about the problems related to sanitation and caste in India. Mahima Vashisht, a sanitation worker, discusses the difficulties of tackling caste and sanitation simultaneously. Akash Kumar, an advertising executive, discusses the importance of writing in order to communicate and change people's behavior. Mahima Vashisht says that she first became interested in writing when she was in school and her essay about her mother's advice on telling lies won an award. Akash Kumar discusses his early experiences writing for school magazines and how he became interested in writing for a broader audience.
02:50:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her experience as a woman in India, discussing her time as an editor of an official magazine and an unofficial magazine, and her attraction to writing at that point. She later starts a blog and writes 100 posts in 10 years. Her gender evolution includes coming to the realization that she's a woman, and womaning is what happens after that. Mahima's advice to other aspiring writers is to sit down and write.
02:55:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the idea for her book Womaning, which she wrote in six weeks in 2009. She shares that the book came to her at a particular moment and that she was stressed out about safety while staying at a hotel. She talks about how her friends also shared similar experiences, and how the conversation led her to think about other areas of life in which women are facing unique struggles.
In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the various challenges that women face in India, including the way that society and the workplace are designed to favor men. She also discusses the ways that women's physical spaces, such as restrooms, are often inadequate. Finally, Vashisht discusses the phenomenon of men interrupting women more often than men.
03:00:00 The author discusses how, as a writer, she understands the importance of storytelling, and how it is different for men and women. She cites an incident in which she was attacked, and how, as a woman, she is constantly mentally preparing for such an event. She goes on to say that, for every woman, there are various things that go through her mind in a constantly "plotting" fashion.
03:05:00 The author discusses her idea for a book about women's experiences in India, and how she overcame fear and concerns about criticism. She eventually decided to write it as a newsletter, and publishes it two months behind its actual release date. She expresses pride in this accomplishment, and notes that it is an achievement for a woman to have a body of work.
03:10:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences as a woman in India, writing about maternity discrimination and body shaming. She also discusses how she structures her writing process, based on what is most compelling to her at the time.
03:15:00 This YouTube video discusses the writer's experiences of male writers' habits and how it has limited the number of stories that have been written about them.
03:20:00 In this episode, Mahima Vashisht discusses the challenges and opportunities for womaning in India. She discusses the prevalence of impostor syndrome and kundi, two common challenges faced by women in India. She also discusses the importance of having open conversations with other women, and the fear of intimacy that men often have.
03:25:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses how she came to develop a voice for her Gender newsletter, how humor helps to keep readers engaged, and her favorite topics to write about.
03:30:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the various responses she's received from people regarding her writing on womaning in India. Many men appreciate her work, while others dismiss it as mundane or irrelevant. She discusses the various motivations behind these reactions and how they are common to all of us.
03:35:00 In this YouTube video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the lack of women friendly infrastructure in workplaces and how she is installing sanitary pad vending machines in her office toilet as soon as she finishes reading this post. Some women are offended by the idea of womaning, while others appreciate the opportunity to share their personal stories. Mahima suggests that men should be contributing to caregiving for in-laws as well, and this line of questioning causes a woman to accuse Mahima of hating women.
03:40:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the various stereotypes and obstacles that women face in the workplace. She also discusses the phenomenon of the "brilliance bias," which affects how often people think highly of men in positions of brilliance, and how this affects women's opportunities and self-image.
03:45:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the challenges women face in the workplace, specifically in terms of being assertive and being heard. She also speaks about the importance of being aware of how your interactions will be perceived, and offers suggestions for how to manage these challenges.
03:50:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the challenges that women face in India, including the way that society and the workplace are designed to favor men. She also discusses the ways that women's physical spaces, such as restrooms, are often inadequate. Finally, Vashisht discusses the phenomenon of men interrupting women more often than men.
03:55:00 The video discusses the issue of women's restrooms in India, specifically in workplaces. The majority of women who suffer in silence, or who are like Mahima Vashisht in that they speak up, are those who work at lower levels in professions compared to men. Men are often angry, and this anger often manifests itself in behavior such as peeing all over the women's toilets at work. Although the video discusses the issue at hand, it does not offer a solution to the problem.
In the video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the difficulties that women face in India, both in the workplace and in their personal lives. She argues that the solution is for employers to create workplaces that are more inclusive, and for husbands to take on more responsibility at home.
04:00:00 Mahima Vashisht explains how a close-knit boys club can impact women in the workplace, and how the simple solution is for employers to create workplaces where decisions are made outside of normal working hours.
04:05:00 The video discusses how biases in the workplace can be overcome by bosses taking into account different aspects of employees, such as diversity. It also points out that paternity leave is important for men, and that attitudes towards parenting are evolving.
04:10:00 In India, maternity law has had a negative impact on women's employment and the quality of their lives. Mahima Vashisht suggests that instead of changing the law, the government should give fathers more paternity leave to help restore the balance of power between men and women in marriages.
04:15:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the difficulty that companies have in compensating women fairly for maternity leave and the need for a change in social attitudes in order to make paternity leave more attractive to employers. She also points out that coercive state action is not the solution to this problem.
04:20:00 In India, women are often treated as second-class citizens, with sons often given preferential treatment. This creates a syndrome known as "rajabita syndrome," in which women are treated as "rajas" (princes) and are not given the same level of love and care as their male counterparts. This, in turn, creates tension and dissatisfaction in marriages.
04:25:00 The video discusses how women in India are often pressured to have babies and to marry soon. This pressure can make it difficult for women to enjoy their lives and to be equal partners with their husbands.
04:30:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the pressures that women in India face to get married and have children. She also discusses the mental load that women in these situations are often forced to bear. She suggests that, in order to reduce the pressure on women, husbands should install grocery apps on their phones and let their wives "turn human again."
04:35:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the ways in which women's work is often unseen and difficult to quantify. She also discusses the ways in which men have easier access to deep work and other types of work, and the ways in which this leads to gender-based differences in mental load. Mahima reflects on the ways in which her household responsibilities are also shared between her and her husband.
04:40:00 The author of the video discusses how, in India, women often have to work as well as take care of the home, which often leads to resentment between the genders. She discusses how, in order to manage this, it is important for both men and women to be able to delegate tasks and find ways to get deep work done.
04:45:00 The woman in the photo is a senior woman who is on an oxygen concentrator and is cooking round rotis for her son. The son is presumably healthy and not hooked up to a cylinder. The photo drew a lot of backlash, and the author suggests that it is shameful that women are expected to do so much, and that mother's day should be called happy martyrs day.
04:50:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the negative effects of the institution of marriage on women, and how it can be replaced by more healthy, mutually beneficial relationships. She argues that marriage is better for men than women, and that men should be chasing women around the street, not the other way around.
04:55:00 Mahima Vashisht interviews women who are dating and discussing the differences in experiences between men and women at this stage of life. One interesting insight she shares is that, by the time women reach their 40s, most have experienced at least one marriage. For men, this is often followed by a period of divorce or widowhood.Women are beginning to become more aware of these differences and are starting to pursue relationships that are more suited to their needs.
Mahima Vashisht discusses the unique experiences of women in India in this YouTube video. She shares her own experiences as a mother and a feminist, and discusses the ways in which women's pain is often ignored. She also recommends a few books and stand-up comedians that she feels provide valuable insights into the female experience.
05:00:00 The speaker discusses the disparities in medical research and funding for conditions that primarily affect women, such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and cancer. She also discusses how men are often seen as brave for enduring pain and women are often seen as hysterical and brave for bearing it. The speaker discusses how medical professionals often ignore or mistreat women who are in pain.
05:05:00 This video discusses the experiences of women in India, focusing on the ways in which their gender affects their lives. Mahima Vashisht discusses the ways in which women's pain is often ignored, and how this contributes to the prevalence of women's seclusion in India. Alice Evans discusses a study that suggests that if women are able to work in safe, protective environments, their families may not be as worried about their honor.
05:10:00 The author raises the issue of progress, and how we should think about it given the current state of society. He points to the issue of safety for women, and how we should hold the perpetrator of crimes – be they male or female – responsible, instead of the victim. He also makes the point that women should be given the right to make mistakes, and that we should be more accepting of women's safety.
05:15:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses the burden of language on women, and how the use of passive language can have a political effect. She also discusses how progress for women is often slow but continuous. Lastly, she discusses how her newsletter, Sadhana, tackles difficult topics in a way that is accessible to younger readers.
05:20:00 The video discusses the need for change in India, specifically in regards to how women are treated. It also discusses how an entrance exam could help to ensure that change happens one birth at a time.
05:25:00 In this video, Mahima Vashisht discusses her experiences working on a Bollywood movie and how it was painful to see the protagonist harass and pursue the female lead. She also shares her opinion that the film would have been more believable and appealing if the protagonist had been a man and the female lead had been pursued romantically rather than pursued for her body.
05:30:00 In this YouTube video, Mahima Vashisht discusses how men in positions of power can be harmful to their relationships with women. She shares an anecdote about how her husband was offended by what she said at a meeting, and how a senior woman in the room helped to defuse the situation.
05:35:00 Mahima Vashisht discusses the pressures women feel in India to be "mothers, dairies, and wives" and how her podcast episode, "Womaning in India with Mahima Vashisht," has helped her cope with these pressures. She recommends the book, "How to be Successful without Hurting Men's Feelings," and the comic book, "Sarah Cooper: How a Woman Says Something, and the Man Ignores," to her listeners.
05:40:00 Mahima Vashisht, a woman from India, discusses her experiences as a mother and how she has evolved as a feminist. She recommends a book, "Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman," and a few stand-up comedians.
05:45:00 In this episode of "The Seen," filmmaker Mahima Vashisht travels to India to explore the womaning culture there. She meets with various women, including a transgender woman, to learn about their unique experiences and perspectives.