It may sound trite to some, but advice to follow her own values and desires was transformative for Karishma Luthria
‘A cliche to some has been revolutionary for me. It has given me strength to refuse the expectations my family has had of women for generations.’‘A cliche to some has been revolutionary for me. It has given me strength to refuse the expectations my family has had of women for generations.’A cliche, overused in movies and young adult novels with Anglo protagonists, changed my life.
In June 2016, on a humid night in Mumbai, India, I was at a skate park-themed bar with colleagues from an internship I’d just finished. Sitting on the edge of the skateboard rink, drink in hand, and very nervous, I confided in a colleague that I was at a crossroads; unsure if I should leave Mumbai and study journalism in Sydney or stay in Mumbai as my parents wanted me to. It was a privileged position to be in, I knew that. But I was still nervous.
I had lived in Sydney already. I studied commerce because my family encouraged me to. I was homesick there and didn’t fit in.It was at this internship in Mumbai that I realised that my interests lie in social justice and journalism. But convincing my parents to let me study journalism, an unorthodox career choice, almost pushed our relationship to breaking point.
My colleague listened to me then said: “Just be yourself.” It was the first time in my life anyone had told me I could do that. But I wasn’t sure if I could “be myself”. I wasn’t sure if I trusted my judgment and if I could figure my next steps out on my own, without considering my family’s expectations.You see, as a woman born into a traditional Indian family, throughout my life I was told to be “quiet”, to “adjust”, to be a “good daughter” and to “listen” to my parents.
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