Dear Saloni Chopra, why I fell in love with you.
You are everything I dreamed of while I was growing up, bold, strong beautiful. And you recently won feminist voice of the year and I think it’s a victory to every women ever out there. Of course, I wouldn’t be happier for your success, but this is not only the reason why I love you.
I love you because you make me believe that the young girl inside me who was curious and unafraid is right. The young girl who would call out to men urinating in public, the young girl who would scream if someone threw garbage on the road and later clean it herself. The young girl who was not afraid of getting her hands dirty and her knees scraped because they would leave marks. The young girl who would beat any guy in cycle races and eat 10 mangoes because she was hungry. Is here. Still here.
I love you because you make me believe that the young girl inside me, who questioned everything from god to religion to politics to what is harassment, was not wrong to raise questions. The young girl who did not care where her dress was going or how she looked as long as she was comfortable. The young girl who was so generous, who would give her toffee to her friend because she fell. The young girl who wanted to study (before exams), who would dance almost anywhere. Is here. Still here.
I love you because you make me believe that the young girl inside me who was not afraid to love or punch. To go topless in summer, who did not remove her body hair, who did not put on makeup, who put on makeup when her mum went out, who did not care what the aunties said, who wrapped herself in saree by stealing duppattas and who also fashioned a mini dress out of it, who sang, painted, loved, hurt, got insecure, got angry. Is here. Still here.
I love you because when I see your posts, I see the young girl inside me turn up and look at you with glistening eyes. I love you because you make me believe that the young girl is right. And she is still here. I love you because you love yourself; I love you because you make me love myself.
– Just another feminist.