Thread by @tarauk

Interesting and worthwhile initiative to further democracy! At @PoliticalShakti, we look at furthering women on the ballot; this studies women’s access to a free and fair ballot! Call for evidence below! @DrSYQuraishi @fayedsouza

https://twitter.com/kaarana_/status/1399652597791748096

While the pressure on women to toe the community/family patriarchy’s vote is undeniable, the fact that women from 1970s have deviated from the male vote when beneficial speaks to their quiet autonomy, rebellion; solidarity across communal/caste lines (/n)

Women’s vote for MGR in Tamil Nadu was legendary, as for Jaya, repeatedly. @NitishKumar @bjd_odisha Naveen Patnaik, recently @ArvindKejriwal secured wins through a gendered division of votes (/n)

Speaking to rural/lower economic strata urban women shows that they gave low inputs from political news/media - no time to read papers, format/presentation of politics is entirely male made for male consumption; ugly and boring (/n)

That means their sources are, hearing (not usually partioaging) community (male) discussions, men asking/telling them how to vote, women asking & discussions within women - the last is where female oriented policies bear fruit for parties. (/n)

Lesson is the huge gap media has in producing political news and views for female consumption. That women am don’t consume much of politics today isn’t because they aren’t interested; it is because it doesn’t cater to them!