We have been featuring the best writers from our writers’ community for their committed contribution to FII, making it what it is today. FII would not exist if not for the passionate and loyal feminist writers’ community that we have steadily been building over the last few years. This October, we feature Treya Sinha.
Treya graduated with a literature degree and then did her Masters’ in journalism. She is apparently free spirited but also lost in her own head. She loves the idea of photography documenting something real and the idea of trying to write or making a difference. She is just trying.
Sone of her popular articles include Abortions Are Still Traumatic For Pregnant People In India, Brutal, Relentless And Feral: ‘Hurricane Season’ By Fernanda Melchor, Sally Rooney’s ‘Intermezzo’ Untangles Grief And Love and Annie Ernaux: A Chronicler Of Memories Breaking Every Possible Taboo In ‘Getting Lost’ among others.
FII: Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.
I work for a trade magazine at the moment, but that aside, I love a steaming hot mug of coffee and waking up early in the morning just to have a few moments to myself. I’ve always had a huge love for literature, initially in its escapist form, but I also realised that nothing teaches you empathy as much as a good book does and I think it’s so cool to be able to understand more of the world through stories and characters lives, even if you aren’t trying to. It’s almost impossible not to let part of a story seep into your skin.
FII: How did you become a part of the FII writer family?
I took up journalism for my Masters’ and I realised what I most wanted to write about/ explore were issues about gender and health- and FII is genuinely a platform that manages intersection (of health, gender, class, education) wonderfully.
FII: How and when did you become a feminist?
I remember being in school, and I was friends with alot of boys (more boys than girls) and back then in a private school in Noida, I remember all the boys used to make fun of feminist ideas. One of my girl friends at the time though, was a staunch feminist, and took pride in it. I secretly agreed with her ideals, I just wanted to look cool in front of school boys. In class 11 and 12, I went to an all girls’ school and realised a lot of the female experience is shared. That, and going to college just made me realise that I was proud to be one. I also went through a phase where I listened to bands like Bikini Kill, and I also loved reading about female friendships in books like A Thousand Splendid Suns (which was heartbreaking).
In short, I think the answer is awareness and empathy, and being comfortable in my own skin.
FII: Which issues within feminism are close to your heart?
Sexual assault and abortions. (Both separately). Something about the male gaze, and how omnipresent and sometimes even internalised it is, also really really bothers me. Sometimes I feel like all problems women face can be traced to how we are perceived.
FII: What is your favourite piece on this site that you have written, and your favourite piece on this site that you have read? Why did they strike you?
I quite like the piece on Annie Ernaux, because I loved reading the book. I feel like people also think feminists are supposed to be these strong people who never break down, but Ernaux is so unafraid to be vulnerable. Something about her writing cuts like a knife and I remember wanting to almost scribble my thoughts down on the book so I could be in conversation with her. She wasn’t afraid to show both the ecstasy and comfort she felt when she was in love, and the gore and wretched desperate yearning. I also like how she talked about memories that are haunting, that sleep with her as she goes about her life.
My favorite piece on the website is Ainnie Arif’s Between two Worlds: Navigating Gender and Identity in Paris– I love how she talks about the experience of being an immigrant and touches on complexities that are hard to articulate. I also love her photos.
FII: What do you like to do when not writing about gender and social justice?
I like simple pleasures laced with the tiniest bits of exhilaration.
FII: What do you like about FII and our work?
I love that FII touches on nuances. There was a piece recently that talked about how we use the word ‘Aunty’ as an insult. This thought has always roamed through my head, but I’ve never been able to articulate it. I love that it talks about home-makers, ASHA workers, mental health and contraceptives, all fathomable things that come under the scope of feminism that we (humans) often let go of as fleeting thoughts, without exploring the problem.
FIi: What more would you like to see from us?
I actually think podcasts, exploring a lot of the things you talk about, but more in depth, would be really interesting.
FII thanks Treya for her timely and valuable contributions. We are incredibly grateful to have her as a part of our writers’ community and appreciate her for the deeply informative writing.
