Letter To Saloni Chopra

Dear RedHeadWayFarer,

Two years back, while debating over feminism with my elder sister, she introduced me to your Instagram profile.

Saloni Chopra.

Actress.

Bad feminist.

You were fearless and unapologetic. You posted pictures with sanitary napkins and in bras supporting the free the nipple movement. You broke stereotypes and wrote with such passion about how the world needs to change. You must not have realized until then, that you were infact not a bad feminist.

A few days later, your Instagram bio read-

Saloni Chopra.

Actress.

Feminist af.

And maybe, the change you wanted to see in the world, you were beginning to see it in yourself. You influenced my thought process in so many ways. Your words started tenanting in my head, your emotions reached out to me.

You talked about anything to everything - from travelling to staying home alone for weeks, from women-not-supporting-women to your friendships, from having skin disease to loving your skin; and I started admiring you.

You talked about how you didn't fit in with the actress-vibe with a tummy and thick thighs and how you didn't care about it because you loved to be that way, that stereotypes didn't define you.

Then you introduced your boyfriend to your Instagram family and I was happy for you, for he made you feel loved.

You started traveling with him round the world, always hustling between cities, infact countries. But you didn't stop posting pictures and expressing how women need to love themselves for who they are.

As your admirers, the number of people you influence with your words, enormously increased, so did your haters. I still remember the argument I had with a girl on one of your posts where she had questioned your character since all 'you wanted from empowerment was to get naked and roam around freely'. She asked why you didn't get naked then, on social media, since you've pretty much lost your dignity anyway. I kept telling her that it was not about getting naked, rather about being able to do it without getting thrashed for it, if one wants to. She didn't understand, of course.

I realized that day how strenuous the process of bringing equality is going to be when women themselves don't understand how much it matters in their lives to have equal opportunities, and having equal rights to choose.

You've actually made a difference in my life, and how I analyze situations and fight for myself, love myself for who I am and love how I look.

I know your life has been a lot more busier these days, with all the traveling and work, and you've kind of lessened writing, but I miss your words.

Although this letter will be drowned in the endless sea of hate messages you receive, I hope you read it someday.

Yours,

A girl who loves herself the way she is.