The Idea-Smithy – an Indian feminist blog by Ramya Pandyan

Body & Sex | Digital World | Politics & Feminism | Pop Culture

Go, Selfie!
June 6, 2019February 25, 2025
0 Comments

Why is a selfie taker shamed so much?

Keep Reading Go, Selfie!
Home & Identity | Map Of Emotion | Politics & Feminism

Don’t Call Me TamBram
June 6, 2019September 16, 2023
1 Comment

I am not a Tamilian. I am not a Brahmin. You erase my identity and you insult my legacy when you call me a TamBram.

Keep Reading Don’t Call Me TamBram
Map Of Emotion | Poetry

Hey You In The Dark
May 22, 2019September 17, 2023
3 Comments

Hey you in the dark. Have you looked my way lately? I exist.

Keep Reading Hey You In The Dark
Map Of Emotion | Relationships

The High Road
May 18, 2019August 28, 2023
2 Comments

Walk the high road because that is the path that YOU deserve to walk on.

Keep Reading The High Road
Body & Sex | Politics & Feminism | Relationships

Post-Swim Dating Is A Thing
May 15, 2019February 25, 2025
2 Comments

I went for a swim and then I went on a date.

Keep Reading Post-Swim Dating Is A Thing
Home & Identity | Map Of Emotion

An Any Person
May 15, 2019February 25, 2025
3 Comments

Who are you when there isn’t anyone around to recognise you? Do you know this person?

Keep Reading An Any Person
City

Goodnight Mumbai, My City Self
May 12, 2019February 25, 2025
3 Comments

Mumbai defines me and in my being, I add to the millions that define this city.

Keep Reading Goodnight Mumbai, My City Self
Politics & Feminism | Pop Culture | Relationships

The ‘Only If You’re Sad’ Guy
May 10, 2019February 25, 2025
0 Comments

There’s a certain kind of man who gets off on sad women. It’s an entire trope – The Depressed/Tortured/Troubled/Damsel-in-distress that the guy ‘rescues’ with minimal emotional investment by clowning around. He is not a Manic Pixie Dream Guy. No, the original in that trope is not a person and only…

Keep Reading The ‘Only If You’re Sad’ Guy
Map Of Emotion | Relationships

Every Meeting With You Is A Date
May 9, 2019August 28, 2023
0 Comments

I’m going to treat every meeting like it is a date. Here’s what it means. Here’s why I mean it. A date.

Keep Reading Every Meeting With You Is A Date
Body & Sex | Map Of Emotion | Politics & Feminism | Relationships

Slime
May 4, 2019February 25, 2025
4 Comments

It’s precarious because what can balance atop slime for very long?

Keep Reading Slime

IdeaSmith on The Feels This Week: A Curated Life Is A Considered One: “@Harshaman: What a delightful set of throwbacks it was to receive this comment! First, to the days when one would…”
Harshaman on The Feels This Week: A Curated Life Is A Considered One: “Which for me means, looking back at the past with a discerning and curatorial eye I had been thinking about…”
Neha Kapoor on Unlikeable Women: It’s Okay To Dislike Her, But Respect Her: “You always have such good book recommendations!”
IdeaSmith on A Post-40 Primer On Friendship With Men: Hope & Betrayal: “@Soumya: Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes, I’ve had a good male role model. Unfortunately for me, I’ve encountered…”
IdeaSmith on Trusting My Judgement Again: Thanks Meena Kandasamy & The Rookie: “@krist0ph3r: ‘Judgement as mental shorthand’ is a great way to look at it. It’s narrow to think of judgementalism as…”
Soumya on A Post-40 Primer On Friendship With Men: Hope & Betrayal: “Hi Ramya, Firstly, my congratulations on a well written post. It didn’t pull its punches. Secondly, it was lovely to…”
krist0ph3r on Trusting My Judgement Again: Thanks Meena Kandasamy & The Rookie: “Wow, that was a lot to process and at some point it got too much for me to handle reading.…”
IdeaSmith on When Did Reading Become Performance?: “@Sid: Oh god, you’re right.”
Sid on When Did Reading Become Performance?: “I think the Poser Reader sentiment also comes from the branding reading as a hobby has had. Successful people say…”
Topher on Lit Crush: Gabrielle Zevin ‘s Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow, The Storied Life of A.J.Fikry: “I too struggle greatly with problematic people who make great things. As a child Bill Cosby brought YEARS of joy…”