TheBloggerLife · WeTheWomen

The Sisterhood of the most fabulous kind #WomenOfBlogging

When I had not read as many LeanIn articles and was simply finding my way & voice around the blogosphere , I remember being consumed by an idea . Women need to build their tribe.

I had rarely felt so strongly about women in politics as I did when I read Barkha’s open letter to Smriti Irani . Setting aside their long history of differences , Barkha candidly appreciated Ms Irani’s strength & achievements , yet also called out her hypocrisy as a Feminist in a power position. It was a mature piece of writing , that tread a razor sharp path with utmost clarity  in its approach – No matter what our ideologies are , women need to stick together when our identity , voice or space in under threat .

I never really wrote about it . I over-read and over-thought instead finally to conclude , whatever had to be said has already been said by so many of us in pieces such as this one by Jaibala.

Last week I realized how wrong I was.

While I observed a 20 year old’s courage under fire from the sidelines , consciously not adding to the noise , I made mental notes of who said what and who stayed silent. There were men who applauded , defended , ridiculed , abused & threatened her. There were women who celebrated her stand. But save the already vocal ones , most women in power positions were conspicuous in their silence. The Phogat sisters to my dismay were agitated by the virtue of their region being dragged in the debate than their gender.

But let’s not talk about Social media , very few people take it seriously enough as a platform for expression as much as they do for entertainment. Let’s talk specifically about women at workplace .

Have you noticed how the rituals concerning men and women are so different when it comes to dynamics at work . Women ‘gossip’ during bathroom breaks , men ‘talk shop’ over smokes.  The former is seen as frivolous and the later just an extension to their personality . Men tend to compartmentalized business and personal relationships beautifully , for women one seamlessly interweaves with another -so if one goes sour the other goes down with it. Hence , women at workplace rarely are friends with peers. Insecurity , threat or just a strong sense of competition often comes between them . Moreover to be seen as popular and ambitious at the same time is also an unheard of notion for us . Our labels are either Ms Congeniality or the Bitch , there’s no best of both worlds. Ironically , when it concerns our friends , It’s a different story altogether. Like Priya Ramani rightly points out there is no topic that is too personal or out of bounds for our friends and these friendships become lifelines for us. So , why not friendships beyond close groups?

Incidentally , if I extend the idea of ‘workplace’ to Blogging , my hypothesis falls flat on its face . Over numerous soul baring chats with some fabulous women I’ve met through blogging my belief has just grown stronger . Friendships and camaraderie are possible irrespective of how well aligned our interests are as much as they can be in the absence of a common thread that binds us .

Least common denominator at work , relationships & beyond should be our Gender. Our passion. A Sense of Sisterhood.

Imagine a world in which , two blogging divas collaborate to create the perfect Valentines’ day saga . 

Her content wakes you up in the middle of a night and question your intent in blogging at large. It threatens to keep you down for days given your lack of inspiration and clearly visible mediocrity. But in the mix somewhere you find yourself, break shackles of this very Ghetto and suddenly find your own ways.  – Writes Richa in her guest post for Shinjini’s blog.

Just like two music divas marking a historic moment in Grammy’s , unheard of in the entertainment Industry.

I can’t possibly accept this award,” Adele said. “I’m very humbled and very grateful and gracious, but my life is Beyoncé.” Said Adele as she graciously acknowledged Beyoncé to be more deserving .

And the countless women in the foreground , like Michele and behind the scenes , like the secret face group community supporters promised Hillary a determined #IAMWithHer & they continue to do so .

It’s said , it takes a village to raise a child . It takes Sisterhood of the most fabulous kind to raise women beyond their capabilities. It doesn’t matter how our ideas are shaped , the passion for telling stories & expressing opinions runs between the #WomenOfBlogging like a charm .

It’s International Women’s Week & if you’ve written a post about being a woman or a special lady in your life , link it up here & experience this charm.

23 thoughts on “The Sisterhood of the most fabulous kind #WomenOfBlogging

  1. Perhaps, one of the better posts I’ve read about the ‘sisterhood’. And I agree with you 100%. In a world where both men and women try to drag women down, it’s important to have that tribe of selfless women who will be by your side – whether you require it or not.
    And I have been fortunate enough to have you lovely, strong, independent women by my side too
    Sid recently posted…The Young And The RestlessMy Profile

  2. Chandni I had forgotten what it felt like – to write a happy women post. Thank you for starting the fire this week 🙂 I have read your post almost three times by now and each time it makes me want to blog again. Yes I am taking it as my come back 😛

    Thank you for everything <3

  3. It is important to find your tribe, it is important to know who and fake and it is even more important to know the difference between the two. I for one have been blessed to find The Best Sisterhood ever around me. And it is not just about building me up anymore, it about knowing that we are strong, we are fabulous and we belong together.

    PS: I know it sounds mushy, but hey this is a love affair of the best kind.

    PPS: Thank You for the mention.
    Jaibala Rao recently posted…Love Like Blog Is a Four Letter WordMy Profile

  4. Wow!! This is seriously one of the best pieces I’ve read in a long time! And you have covered all the points so well, without leaving anything unsaid. Finding a tribe of girls, who’re truly yours is being lucky and I am lucky to have a few fabulous women in my life!

    Sure, we’ve been living in times where women are enemies against each other and the sad thing is we continue to live the same way. Let’s try to break that shackle this Women’s Day and have each others back, through thick and thin!

    I guess I’ll blog about them this Women’s Day!

    Cheers

  5. You know I love it when you write about women Chandni. You have a nuanced and well-thought out view always. Sisterhood is so so important – I would say it’s a game changer. Yet, in the work place, we often see women pulling other women down. Maybe it’s their inherent insecurity about occupying space in a man’s world? In blogging, though, even I have observed this falling flat on its face. While there are those who lie and cheat and steal, I have mostly found an excellent tribe of women supporting and egging each other on to do better and be better and to shine. This tribe that I found in the online blogging world is one that I deeply deeply cherish. Thank you for being part of my tribe. And thank you for the shout out. xx
    Modern Gypsy recently posted…Revealed: what women really want!My Profile

  6. Remember when you first shared that tweet about no topic being out of bounds, I told you that I wholeheartedly agree? A lot of people say that women hate each other and drag each other down, but frankly I don’t think that’s true. My best relationships have been with other women. For me, losing my tribe makes me feel like a fish out of water. And I’ve known more girls like that than the so called type that drags others down
    Sreesha recently posted…There She Goes Again, With Her Dancing ShoesMy Profile

  7. While I may not have had plenty of ‘happy’ friendships with friends of the same gender (or any gender for that matter), I feel that my friendships with all the bloggers I’ve met online are pretty good. Maybe it’s a perk of being an introvert, I will never know. But I do know this: The Sisterhood of the most fabulous women who blog has supported me through every blogging problem, and I will never forget that. From the cheery messages and chatty tweets, I feel so happy to have entered this world of blogging, and I have realised the many facets of human nature. This truly is a wonderful post, and you did complete justice to it, Chandni ?❤
    Mithila Menezes @fabulus1710 recently posted…Of naps and examinationsMy Profile

  8. Chandni, this such a well thought and we’ll written post! Blogging helped me understand the true meaning of tribe and having such fabulous women around me, supporting one another I found this fabulous sense of sisterhood too. It is essential that the essence and importance of this is understood by all and women from all walks of life find their tribe and help each other outshine.
    Aditi Kaushiva recently posted…10 Unique Experiences in IcelandMy Profile

  9. Women need to stand for each other and like you I’ve found a really remarkable bunch of women(including you) because of blogging! I loved how you’ve written this post. It is just perfect Chandni 🙂 More power to you and the women of blogging 🙂
    reemamichelle recently posted…Will you be my sunshine?My Profile

  10. Your post presents two aspects of the same scenario. The of women gossip & mens talk shop one thing but different outlook. The question why women is underestimated always. That’s thought provoking post for me

  11. Its a very powerful post. I am new to your site but am sure gonna be hooked on. The sisterhood is always a double edged sword- it provides you with support, courage and makes you put your best foot forward but the flip side is when the ones you lean on, fail you and back stab you- it shakes up your trust. I believe looking at the optimistic side – the good ones leave you with memories, the bad ones with life lessons. Both are important, isn’t it?

  12. very well written piece – and well said! Finding your Tribe is super important. It is unfortunate that women at work are still trivialized! it’s a long and up hill task to teach people to use different words – to think differently!

  13. I am an all time believer in Sisterhood- this is the reason sometimes, I had rough patches with male friends. Never mind, I still continue with my belief that when we women support each other, World will definitely be more beautiful place to live. More power to all of us. A very well written post Chandni. You have covered every aspect of it maturely.

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