For those of you who have been living under a rock, women killed it in 2018 and have continued killing it in 2019 as well. They’ve been breaking records, letting go of their inhibitions and are rising above those who try to bring them down. They are making their voice heard, on the streets, in marathons and sparking thought and conversations around the world. Such is the case of these 5 women who let go of their hesitations and wore sports bras at the Mumbai marathon, leaving people in awe of their determination and courage. They inspired women to rise above the stifling beliefs and judgements. We had the pleasure of hearing some of their stories and motivations, leading up to this moment and have compiled some of them for you to read and get inspired. Here they are.
1. Mishti, a fitness trainer, roars ‘can’t stop, won’t stop‘ as she rises above the people who try to bring her down.
I chose the line ‘can’t stop won’t stop’ as there are always going to be people and situations that will try to bring you down but you need to learn how to rise above it. While running on the road we are often catcalled and even chased but stopping and giving into that fear they are trying to instill shouldn’t be an option.
2. Shaleena, a celebrity stylist, owns her persona as she proudly says ‘This is who I am’.
I feel we have been in situations in our life where we feel we need to change to adjust and adapt or be someone we thought would make us. For me, THIS IS WHO I AM and I’m proud of the person I am and have become. I wouldn’t have gained the strength I have without the experiences in my life. This is me and all of me and I’ll be loved and accepted for me!
3. Anisha, a college student, wants to ‘break free’ from the stigma that the society has put her through.
All my life I’ve been told what to wear and what is considered appropriate for a girl, always had restrictions in school or college on the dress code. Whereas boys never had a dress code. If a boy can workout shirtless at the gym, so can I. I don’t want to be judged for being comfortable in my own skin.
4. Juhi, a fashion blogger, wants people to pay attention to her work instead of paying attention to ‘how short her clothes are’
I picked this line because I want people to pay attention to how I run, my work, me as a person, rather than paying attention to how short or long my clothes are. So basically, I want them to pay attention and notice all the right and relevant things.
5. Naina, an entrepreneur, says ‘judgements can’t tame me’ as she turns a deaf ear to society’s judgemental comments.
Over time, I have realized that if these [some of my] people are so oblivious to my running skills and focused on just what I wear then it’s them that need to change their mental clothing. I began running because it made me feel free and then I tragically allowed judgements to affect me. It’s sad that people can’t look past their judgments, but it’s sadder that I allowed them to affect me. I realized that when people try to bring you down, the choice to allow that to not happen to you is in your hands. Never again will I change myself over what someone says, never again will I allow anyone’s judgements to tame me.
Here’s another picture of these badass women, rocking sports bras at the Mumbai Marathon. Needless to say, they are not holding themselves back and are rising above all the judgment and criticism that’s thrown their way.
Kudos to these women for shedding their inhibitions, and going their own way! Needless to say, they have paved the way for more women to let go of their hesitations and inspired them to be who they want to be. More power to you, girls!