So, this is the “work” part of this trip! I met Ben when we were both 19 years old WALKING from Los Angeles to Washington DC on the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament. (Yes, I know – that’s a story in itself!) For most of his adult life, Ben has been working for gender equality, and to stop gender-based violence. Ben has a background in theater and improv, so one of the key ways he advances the cause is through a performance he developed called “Voices of Men.” He raises awareness and educates about prevention through popular culture icons, and the audiences are able to receive those messages delivered through the accents, costumes, humor and personas better than they do when the same content is delivered as a lecture. Rocky Balboa explains about sexual consent, James Bond educates about violence against women, Austin Powers enlightens about the objectification of women, and Muppets Kermit the Frog and Elmo sing about gender socialization in the adapted “It’s Not Easy Being Blue, It’s Not Easy Being Pink.” Ben has performed this all over the U.S. and in numerous countries internationally. He had been to India twice before. When I had dinner with Ben and his wife in Massachusetts in November, he said he was going to India in January, and that I should come along. How could I say no?
In Delhi, Ben was invited by another U.S. gender equality activist, Joe Samalin, to join him in talking with students at St. Stephen’s University about men’s role in ending male violence against women. Dr. Karen Gabriel’s students were smart, curious, and insightful.
Ben was also invited to perform excerpts of Voices of Men and have a discussion with gender-equality activists from a number of organizations at the office of Jagori in Delhi. It was an honor to meet feminist legend Kamla Bhasin and so many young, smart activists who have assumed the mantle in more recent years.
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- Joe addressing students at St. Stephen’s University
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- Ben and Joe fielding questions
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- Students posing with Ben after the discussion
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- Joe, one of our hosts PK, Joe’s partner Bix and Ben
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- Dr. Gabriel and her husband PK hosted us for lunch at their home afterwards.
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- Jagori’s Vision and Mission Statements
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- An acknowledgement of Jagori’s outstanding work from the Government of India
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- Kamla Bhasin shares some of the history of the feminist movement in Southeast Asia.
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- Much of the discussion was based on using theater to educate the public, and about how to engage more men in gender equality efforts.
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- A Jagori poster
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- It was helpful for me to learn more about the complex social and financial pressure of marriage dowries in Indian culture.
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- An important intersection of women’s rights and workers’ rights, of gender and class.
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- Inspiration and affirmation!
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- A group shot at the Jagori office.
