Women empowerment is our love language—whether I’m talking about how we write our blogs on an everyday basis or the way we have open conversations on Malini’s Girl Tribe. Empowered women now aren’t people who are mocked or looked down upon anymore—in fact, they are breaking out of the molds society has set for them and it’s changing the world!
It’s safe to say that the past year or so has seen a shift in the industry that has changed the way everyone views, treats and respects women. Olay’s newest campaign, #FaceAnything is another testament to that. They highlighted four women, from different walks of life and showed us how they found the strength to face anything that life threw at them.
Whether it was body shaming, breaking into male-dominated industries or simply not giving a damn about “log kya kahenge”—these women will encourage you to overcome whatever situation you’re facing.
As Indian women, we have our own set of battles to fight—whether it’s at home, in the office or while travelling. We face judgement for our clothes, our bodies, the way we dress, our careers—the list just goes on and on. But today, don’t let those tags bring you down instead cross them out permanently just like these four ladies did. Keep scrolling to see how!
Masaba Gupta
Masaba Gupta is no stranger to body shaming, but her challenges are exactly what taught her to face any barrier life put in the way. She crossed out the tag of ‘
Unattractive
‘ that society had put on her because she doesn’t fit the norm of what it ‘conventionally beautiful’. It’s never easy, and neither is it a short process to being fearless–but when you look at all that she has grown into and achieved, Masaba’s story is nothing short of inspiring.
“Judgements that surrounded me growing up made me feel like I didn’t fit into the set beauty standards. It took me a while to accept that it was just society’s perceptions and I that was so much more than beautiful—I’d like to say, ‘a dusky beauty with brains’ –and with that strength, confidence and a fearless attitude, I never looked back.
Kubbra Sait
Popularly known as Cuckoo from Sacred Games, Kubbra quit her corporate job to pursue a career that she actually was passionate about. She was mocked and called a ‘
Weirdo
‘, a word that followed her no matter what industry she was in. But her choice to drown out the voices and pursue what she loved is the reason she is where she is today. This fearless decision might have been spontaneous, but the journey surely wasn’t.
“I never let people’s opinions of me define who I am as a woman. When I switched careers from a cushy job to acting, that made people judge me. They said I wouldn’t make it, I was never going to be good enough, but I knew I had it in me! So, with time, I drowned out the noise and chased what mattered most to me.”
Priyanka Kochhar
“But you’re a girl ya, are you sure you know what you’re doing?” is a phrase I have personally come across a million times—whether it’s in the context of making investments, driving a car or travelling solo. Priyanka Kochhar is a lady who has entered a widely male-dominated space and made her way to the top.
“As women, we strive hard to cross the ocean of societal norms and judgments in pursuit of our dreams. Mine was to give motorcycles and racing a go, and everyone was dead against it because it’s what “the boys do” I was told. I made my choices, making sure gender was never part of the decision making process and instead, Courage, Hustle, and Confidence were part of the mix. All my life I’ve been called this word and for a long time it hurt me and sent me to a place of quiet. But I’m done explaining that yes, I am almost always overexcited about a lot of things in my life and there’s nothing wrong with that. Today, I strike off “LOUD” ‘coz that’s not who I am. Expressive, fierce, outspoken and so much more.
Payal Soni
Payal Soni is a woman who is aiding the way people view plus size women and proving to the world that size doesn’t define beauty. She’s a woman who has publicly accepted who is she and what she looks like—and this act has helped, and will help many women and little girls view beauty with a broader perspective and not just the way society has taught us to.
“Being criticized for my shape all my life, I finally got the courage to own my curves. Now, as long as I am happy with what I wear, the opinion of others doesn’t matter. I wish this for every woman out there.”
These women handpicked by Olay have reinstated the fact that The Future Is Female and it is time we celebrate the fearless attitude of these women. As we hear them, say Bring it on more often and face anything with a big bright smile!
*This post is in partnership with Olay India.
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