So apparently pre-colonial Indian women just… wore saris without a blouse?? Midriff out, tiddies vibing, nobody cared?? Meanwhile our temples have 10% pure porn on the OUTSIDE WALLS where KIDS could see because kama was a legit life goal???

Then the Victorians showed up, saw all this, had a collective aneurysm, and said “obscene” is now a crime. Let the temples rot. Invented the blouse. Made us feel ashamed of our own ancestors.

“They did not simply colonize our country; they colonized the nipple.”

Anyway 90% of “modest Indian culture” is just Victorian missionaries gaslighting us for 200 years.

Full essay here if u wanna get mad: https://medium.com/@sayyida-noor/khajuraho-erotic-temples-victorian-blouse-colonial-shame-a93ef910c539

now go stare at a khajuraho carving and rethink everything 🗿

  • AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.netEnglish
    20·
    11 hours ago

    Thanks for sharing this post. I know a little about this topic, but I’m always glad to learn more. I love learning about facets of material culture because it’s something that is universally present across all cultures and time periods. Humans make things, and there’s so much we can learn by studying history from this angle — especially anything relating to textile crafts, which has always been an incredibly labour intensive process.

    I’m so glad to learn that there are people actively striving to reclaim this part of their history. I love the image near the bottom of the article — those women look so joyously beautiful

    • PeshawarToToronto@lemmy.worldOP
      73·
      10 hours ago

      finally a comment that gets it 🙏

      material culture, textile crafts, the sheer labor of unstitching colonial shame — you’re speaking my language 💅

      and yes those women at the bottom?? that’s the energy we’re trying to get back. joy, bare shoulders, zero fucks. the blueprint 🕯️

      here for the nipple reclamation movement ✊🔥