Inside the world of ‘Good Indian Girls’

Good and bad aren’t easy to define. But Indian girls live by these undefined rules, not knowing which on they are breaking. A new book of fiction gives a glimpse of this complicated world of ‘Good Indian Girls’

During the launch of her book ‘The Bad Boy’s Guide to the Good Indian Girl’ this month in Bangalore, co-author Annie Zaidi talked about a friend in college. Though Annie was close to her friend for three years, she never realised that her friend used to smoke through college even though smoking was banned in campus. It was many years later, when they met again, that Annie came to know about this.

The book by Annie and Smriti Ravindran explains why Good Indian Girls (GIGs, as they are called in the book) have to be ashamed of something as simple as one’s smoking habit, even hiding it from one’s friends. The book weaves together many stories explaining what makes a GIG and its opposite the BIG (Bad Indian Girl).

Annie Zaidi (right) at the book’s launch at British Library. Writer Jahnavi Barua (left) discussed the book. Pic: Navya P K

In the process the book gives almost a comprehensive list of what makes the perfect GIG. GIGs cook, clean, follow rules and most importantly, are happy being so. The perfect GIG is so pristine that she would not even know what rules she can break. A GIG is also good looking, not very ambitious or smart, does not loiter etc. All those who don’t fit the criteria are BIGs.

A story in the book is that of a high school student Reeta. Everyone in the town knows Reeta’s name. This puts aspersions on her character, making her a BIG. A girl who carries more than one mobile phone, talk to boys often or smoke/drink may also be called a BIG.

Annie says that it is the fear of being branded as a BIG that shapes all women’s behaviour. The stories in the book are those that the authors have witnessed, or of people they know, and some gathered through interviews. It is about 80% fiction, says Annie.

The stories are mostly from small towns and cities, of people from middle class and rarely upper middle class.

The stories show the effort that women put in to avoid being branded as bad, often putting up elaborate performances to gloss over their BIGdom. Some are happy breaking rules in very feeble ways, like one character who fantasises about being in love with a movie star while she is married.

The book argues that every woman is aware of social norms and responds to them. For example, it talks about how women use situations where BIGdom is accepted, like the workplace. A woman can be tough at work, or dress any way she wants to if she is an actor, which she cannot do otherwise.

The book also highlights family dynamics – how parents want their daughters to fit in socially, and how daughters conform to please them, despite resenting rules. Even while conforming to norms at home, many find spaces where they can be free – by lying to their parents, or by moving to a different city itself.

An interesting character in the book is the unapologetically BIG Padma. Padma does not worry about having to appear as good – she elopes with her car driver, cheats in exams and goes out with boys after marriage. Though she is harassed and becomes a social outcast, she neither protests nor changes her behaviour.

Annie says of such characters, "We admire such women in secret, but in public we censure them. None of us may be GIGs actually, but the good/bad divide is clear and we distance ourselves from BIGs as much as possible." The book says that a BIG should be "socially amoral and forgive herself soon".

A few stories on sexual abuse show how victims of these crimes are judged and blamed, even by their friends. These women are not seen as innocent anymore and feel betrayed. The book also talk about how marriage is the centre of women’s identity and about  women who feel stifled trying to fulfil expectations of spouses and in-laws.

Ultimately the book is about how Indian women continue to be defined by social expectations. Something as innocuous as walking down the street without a ‘good reason’ is still seen as a sign of ‘loose’ character. Until the rules change so that women can just be themselves, women may remain the ‘mystery’ they are said to be.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

Are Chennai streets safe for women? Here’s what they told us

85.9% of women in Chennai who responded to the survey think that CCTV cameras in public spaces make streets safer for women.

In view of Women's Day, observed on March 8, Citizen Matters conducted an online survey on women's safety in Chennai. As many as 171 women took part in this survey between the age group of 18 to 51 years. These women were from areas like Sholinganallur, Adyar, T Nagar, Kotturpuram, Thiruvanmiyur, Royapuram, Perambur, Madipakkam, Anna Nagar and other parts of Chennai. Though we circulated the survey across Chennai, many of the responses were from women in the Southern parts of Chennai, indicating the lack of access for women from areas of North Chennai to take part in such online surveys.…

Similar Story

The consequences of eviction: Women face the wrath of domestic violence

Why should evictions cause domestic violence? Our conversation with women in Chennai's resettlement areas brings out many harsh realities.

At 16, when Jency* got married to a man her family chose for her, she dreamt of a blissful life. Her husband, a carpenter, toiled to make ends meet, while she was a homemaker. Life was tough but they were content. "During weekends, he would take us to the beach and once in a while we went to the movies. Eating Delhi appalam and walking along the seashore at Marina Beach with my husband and my two kids is one of my favourite happy memories," she says. That was Jency's life in the past. The sole breadwinner of her family,…