How 2018 set the stage for International Women’s Day conversations

This International Women’s Day both IWD and the United Nations (UN) have declared their theme #BalanceForBetter and #MorePowerfulTogether respectively. Both the themes are focused towards bringing in more men in the fight for gender equality and inclusivity. Rewind the year 2018 and one would not be surprised that this has been the chosen theme for 2019. As more and more women join the professional workforce and raise their voice against gender inequality it has become pertinent that the other half of the equation also become a part of the conversation.

#MeToo India

India’s #MeToo movement brought forth many painful and tragic cases of women anonymously taking to social media Twitter and sharing their personal experiences with sexual harassment at the workplace. It sharply divided the opinions especially of men and women on what could be done about the issue. A few cases that came out were also discovered to be false that impacted the credibility of the entire movement. If the male colleagues of these women had taken up a stand perhaps, we may have seen a greater impact?

Read: India’s #MeToo juggernaut: A cautionary tale & a catalyst for clean-up

Actress Tanushree Dutta, who was credited with igniting India’s #MeToo movement has announced her short film ‘Inspiration’, which will launch on March 8, 2019. The film showcases the experiences of newcomers in showbiz.

Campaigns on Gender inclusivity

Both Nationally and Internationally, last year we saw the rise of campaigns that encouraged gender inclusivity and sensitivity. The 2^nd leg of Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign put forward the poignant message of carrying the weight of responsibility together among the members of the household. Globally, Gillette’s We Believe short film was also appreciated by younger audiences and women on their message of toxic masculinity.

Read: Ariel’s Sons #ShareTheLoad gathers momentum, garners 15 mn views

Read: Gillette’s purpose-driven We Believe campaign sets new precedent for brand building

Strong Female Leads in Film

2018 saw the release of the Oscar Nominated film ‘The Wife’ starring Glenn Close as the lead character. In the post #MeToo era the film has an important message to tell about the severely underrated role of women’s influence on men’s careers. It also saw the release of the blockbuster superhero film ‘Wonder Woman’ that many of DC’s male audience were unhappy with but saw an overall positive reception around the world. Olivia Coleman won an Oscar for her performance in ‘The Favourite’ which is about rival lovers of Queen Anne vying for power in 18^th Century England.

India saw an influx of strong female leads with the releases of 'Padmaavat' and 'Raazi' in Bollywood to 'Mahanati' and 'Bhaagmathie' in the South, female-driven films brought cheer to the industry. Both 'Padmavat' and 'Raazi' also entered the Rs 300-crore and Rs 100-crore club, respectively.

Actresses in strong supporting roles like Taapsee Pannu in 'Mulk', Tabu in 'Andhadhun' and Sonam Kapoor in 'Padman were critically appreciated for their performances.