About Jasveena R Prabhagaran

Jasveena is the founder of International Book Promotion. She is an engineer, a blogger and a writer. She runs her own blog at Thoughts and Views That Matter where she discusses social issues and feminism in great depth. She is a Marketing Researcher by profession and noticed that authors struggle to get their books noticed. As a video enthusiast, she aims to give the best service for authors seeking book trailers. She works hand in hand with her voice over artists,illustrators and designers to serve authors seeking for book promotions. Excellent customer service and quality work is her utmost priority.

Book Review: Sex and Power by Rita Banerji

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

https://sexandpower.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/sex-and-power-click-to-look-inside.jpg?w=545

Sex and Power by Rita Banerji

I would like to thank Author Kelli Sue Landon for helping me to get this book from Amazon. Find Kelli on one of these social media sites if you are a fan of murder mystery and thriller books.

WordPress: https://kellisuelandon.wordpress.com/ Twitter: @kellisuelandon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kelli-Sue-Landon-Author-128375177223550/

Her book review site: https://kellisbookreviews.wordpress.com/

I\’m glad I read this book. So glad I did. I got to know about Rita Banerji sometime ago and wanted to grab a copy of her book through Amazon, which I couldn\’t, as the title was and I believe still is not available where I live. Kelli helped me to get the book via Kindle and gifted it to me. It had been on my Kindle device for about a year, if I\’m not wrong. I don\’t read books on Kindle to be honest but finally decided to read it as I know it is worth getting a glimpse of the thoughts of Rita Banerji, an activist whose work largely revolves around women\’s rights in India. I like how she does extensive research to reveal cultural myths and the way religions both glorified and condoned human beings\’ sexuality.

Rita\’s book will definitely shed some light on issues we thought were taboo. I particularly like how women were so much sexually empowered through religions. The Golden Era saw men and women emphasising \’romance\’ and \’love-making\’ where they respected each other. Rita also wrote very distinctly on the influence of religions and how \’sex and power\’ were viewed and handled differently according to their respective religious view point.

Towards the end, I\’m able to learn on how the present-day India is still struggling in promoting equality and how leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, whose preaching and practice on sexual stance had great disparities their own sexual.

I would rate this book 10/10 and give it ten stars on Amazon, if I could.

Check it out on https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Power-Defining-History-Societies/dp/0143064711

WordPress: sexandpower.wordpress.com

I welcome your thoughts and views ! 😀 Thank you for your feedback.

Denying Your Past Is Denying Your Dignity

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

http://cis-india.org/news/indiatimes-sonal-bhadoria-nov-21-2012-indias-shame-world-reacts-to-fb-post-arrest/image

Shame prevents us from revealing our past
Image courtesy: http://cis-india.org/news/indiatimes-sonal-bhadoria-nov-21-2012-indias-shame-world-reacts-to-fb-post-arrest/image

I was reading about Laxmi; the acid attack fighter, her husband; Alok Dixit, and their love story a couple of days ago. I personally feel that Wikipedia should refer her as acid attack survivor rather than calling her a victim. I cannot stop admiring this girl for her courage and the couple whose true love amazes me. It makes me realize that time decides who you meet in life and character decides who leaves and stays.

You can check out my previous post about her here.

Above all, what I can learn from Laxmi\’s story is to be true to oneself and stop being bothered about what people who think about being transparent. As an acid attack victim turned fighter, Laxmi\’s life was destroyed by a man twice her age when she was just 15 years old. Never would she have imagined that turning his love proposals down could invite an ugly consequences. She was thrown acid on her face and body following the rejection, suffered severe burn on various parts of her body and went through surgeries to repair the damages.

India is a country known for its multi-ethnicity. However, there is something common among all ethnics and that is the way women are treated in the society. When a woman is mistreated or sexually harassed by men, it is because she asked for it. It is because she lured their attention by intentionally misbehaving or seducing men simply by being a woman. Laxmi was not the only to be blamed for what had happened to her. Many other acid attack and sexually-harassed victims do not get a chance for their voices to be heard. They shy away from the society that cripples and labels them with various ugly names.

Imagine if Laxmi had succumbed to the restrictions that the Indian society had imposed upon women, she wouldn\’t have been recognised internationally as an advocate for acid attack victims. She chose to embrace past gracefully and fight against such cruelty despite not getting full support from people around her. Imagine if she decided to stay within her comfort zone, Laxmi wouldn\’t have met Alok. He wouldn\’t have fallen in love with Laxmi\’s courageous nature. Imagine if she too, like anyone else, believed that all men are not to be trusted as treat women badly, she wouldn\’t have spotted the kind-hearted man in Alok.

Laxmi\’s story is just another example to prove that humanity is within reach and can be experienced if we allow to see goodness in every situation. Staying true to ourselves will only help us gravitate closer towards people who could resonate with our very own thoughts and beliefs. Unfortunately, far too many women and men choose to deny their past and called it the \’dark secret\’ just because they have gone through something that the society would not approve of.

Let\’s just face the fact. How many of us are actually comfortable talking about sexual education, sexual orientation or sexual preferences to children? Do we go ahead and tell people that sexual workers deserve equal rights as other employees?

Do we actually speak our mind and tell people not to judge us based on our story?

We don\’t. Period.

We never really raise our boys to respect women. We do not make them do the house chores. We still think that a woman\’s place is at the kitchen. We do not practice what we preach.

Let\’s all start living life truthfully. Lend your opinions and feelings a voice and let that voice be yours. Speak up for what you believe in and never hide your story which is ultimately, your life!

I welcome your thoughts and views ! 😀 Thank you for your feedback

Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk!

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

Hello again!

https://i0.wp.com/www.whitelies.org.uk/sites/default/files/milkmyths/sites/default/files/The%20Herd%20poster.jpg

The Herd

I\’m writing a post here after nearly 9 months and I must say that work, part-time studies and business have been keeping waaaaayy too busy. Oh, I forgot to mention that in the middle of all these, we\’ve a new house purchase agreement that is going on. 2015 had been a crazy but very successful and rewarding year. I hope all of you had a great year and all the best for year 2016.

I saw this post on Facebook yesterday and I can\’t stop thinking about it! Initially, I thought this short video is based on a real incident that\’s happening to women but I just learned that it is based on the reality of all farmed animals and dairy cows being exploited everyday in farms across the world for us to enjoy a glass of milk.

Now, I\’m not sure if I should feel glad that\’s it not happening to women or feel bad for the way we treat cows.

I didn\’t manage to watch this video past 7 minutes.

Viewer discretion: For mature audiences only.

Does this ever ring a bell to you that we have been very selective in our battles that we no longer care about things that do not affect us any more?

The Herd replaces female cows with female humans, and by doing so hopes to promote a greater understanding of the suffering inflicted upon cows in the dairy industry. It is known as the first feminist vegan horror film.

I welcome your thoughts and views ! 😀 Thank you for your feedback

Charlie Hebdo: Yay or Nay?

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

http://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-30710777

As it happened: Charlie Hebdo attack

In January 2015, a group of Islamists went on a killing spree on the streets of Paris following the cartoon publication by Charlie Hebdo demonstrating caricatures of Prophet Muhammad. Charlie Hebdo, a weekly satirical magazine that largely criticizes many aspects of human life had angered the Muslims and provoked the extremists to hurt the editors and staffs of Charlie Hebdo. Seventeen people were killed in that incident including twelve staffs from the office of Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

#JeSuisCharlieHebdo had been the hashtag of the month when the incident sparked a wide debate all over the world with politicians, law makers and the public pouring out comments in favour and against Charlie Hebdo. A large part of the public showing support to Charlie Hebdo and the right to express opinions were merely joining in the uproar without understanding the fundamental arguments that are underlying this issue in general.

Earlier this month, Charlie Hebdo magazine was awarded the controversial freedom of expression award by the American PEN and Thoret, Charlie Hebdo\’s flim critic who received the award did not seem to be happy when people say they are Charlie Hebdo.

“When you say: ‘Everybody is Charlie,’” Thoret said, referring to the “Je Suis Charlie” slogan that consumed social media and became a subject of some debate among those who found its style uncomfortable, “We have two waves of reactions.” At first, he says, of course he agrees. But then, he added, he realises that the slogan itself “doesn’t mean anything”.
It will take months, Thoret said. “We’ll see the way the debate [over freedom of expression] is going” then, he said. It would be horrible, he said, to find himself surrounded by people who all agree with each other. It would remind him, he said, as a film critic, of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. They were happy for the support but, he added: “We are not naive.”

We all know that the magazine is satirical and when we say satirical, it appears offensive and unpleasant for many. Charlie Hebdo is claimed to be a part of the solutions by promoting equality, liberty and fraternity and the magazine is generally for the French audience. The satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo was the conscious heir to a French intellectual tradition with a long history: radical anticlericalism.

With these facts on mind, will a satirical magazine succeed in bringing about positive impacts on society and is it okay to expect people to accept what it publishes with an open mind?

The reaction from Charlie Hebdo following the brutal attack in January 2015.

Charlie Hebdo hurts people. That is a fact we all can\’t deny. It may have won the award earlier this month but will it be a champion in educating the public on worldly issues and the way we live our lives? As we know, anything good, when is expressed in ways that could hurt others would not be wholly accepted. What more when it involves sensitive issues of religions and cultures?

There will be a reaction to any action enforced by people and the reaction is often projected with the same spirit and emotions. So, can we really blame the Islamists for reacting in such manner when what happened had provoked hatred in the Muslim society? Although it would have been wiser for them to ignore what had offended them, it is not rational to expect people to react the same way as the others. The attack should have been something that the editors must have expected to happen even before they publish the caricature.

So, Charlie Hebdo: Yay or Nay? Yay if the magazine is ready to face the consequences of its actions and the non-constructive criticism.

I welcome your thoughts and views ! 😀 Thank you for your feedback

The Montreal Massacre 1989

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

The Montreal Massacre 1989: Another Reason Why We Need Feminism http://thoughtsandviewsthatmatter.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-montreal-massacre-1989-another.html

Education is Key to Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

Real Courage

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

Bound 4 Escape

via

View original post

Crowdfunding Disability: Pay for the Change That You Want to See in the World

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

Matan's Musings

From those studying the medicinal benefits of centipede venom to those researching the existence of life bearing extrasolar moons, scientists have turned to crowdfunding for issues which have captured the popular imagination but have been overlooked by a traditional grant process. Without commenting on the value of individual projects (one questionable project has funded a review of frog sounds in the Amazon), I’m fascinated by the phenomenon of crowdfunding allowing people to put their money where their passion is.

It’s a cliché that everything in our society costs money, but that doesn’t make it less true. Rather than lament a reality that I can’t even see a way around, (after all, whether it’s rent, utilities, food, or equipment, most money for expenses goes to people who themselves have bills to pay) I love the idea that crowdfunding gives society the opportunity to pay for the things that they deem valuable…

View original post 1,180 more words

An Evening with Tony Fernandes (old article, reproduced in solidarity with AirAsia)

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

Thoughts and prayers for Malaysia

People, Places, and Perspectives.

My thoughts are with AirAsia, those onboard the missing QZ8501, their loved ones, and everyone who is saddened by this news. I wonder how AirAsia’s flamboyant and charismatic CEO, Dato’ Seri Tony Fernandes, is dealing with this–he calls it his ‘worst nightmare’ in a tweet–but I have a feeling that he is the sort of leader that people could find a measure of comfort in during such a crisis. Someone capable of coming up with solutions, and even in the face of tragic outcomes, he is the kind of leader who is the beacon of hope, providing strategies to restore hope and move forward.

Why do I say this? I do not know him personally, but six years ago, I attended his talk on the subject of branding, during which he shared many inspiring nuggets of wisdom and clever ideas. So this is how I developed an impression of him…

View original post 1,650 more words

They Prostitute Their Girls: The Bedia

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Jasveena R Prabhagaran

This is so sick

THE 50 MILLION MISSING CAMPAIGN BLOG ON INDIA'S FEMALE GENDERCIDE

by Rita Banerji

While India’s loathing of daughters leads to more than a million female feticides each year, and the killing of thousands of new born girls, the Bedia is one community that wants girls.

When a woman is pregnant, the family hopes it will be a girl. Not a boy.

What makes the Bedia’s stance on girls different from that of the rest of India?

View original post 670 more words