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This video rebuffs Nike's take on women's empowerment in India

This video rebuffs Nike's take on women's empowerment in India

Move over, Deepika — these women don't need ticks on their shoes to be seen as strong
28 Jul, 2016

Saris tied, bangles on and wicker baskets atop their heads, this new video shows the other strong women in India; the ones who don't have ticks on their shoes, in fact, they wear no shoes at all.

Earlier this month, Nike released an ad on strong women which featured eight Indian athletes including Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone, a former national level badminton player. The ad aimed to highlight women's empowerment, however, detractors said it only painted a tainted image: the glamourisation of sports.

Spurred by the ad, a video by YouTube channel Epic Spiritual snubbed the Nike ad by merging images of their ad with India's women in the labour force, who work grueling hours on farms, in construction factories, at people's homes, all barefoot.

The three-minute Nike clip shows women playing various sports on the streets (and cars) of India and amassed generous acclamation world over:

Of late, Bollywood stars have been endorsing equal rights and women empowerment in India. The Nike ad is just one example, before this Jacqueline Fernandez starred in a remake of Spice Girls' Wannabe which highlights the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. It shows women from all over the world telling government leaders what they hope to achieve - from an end to violence against women to quality education for girls.

Comments

Tamilselvan Jul 28, 2016 02:38pm
Nike is only interested in pushing its products but the real women in India are moving the country forward with their physical, mental and spiritual power. Future of India is in their hands not in the hands of few Nike promotes
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Hamid Jul 28, 2016 02:49pm
liked it
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P.R.Koduri Jul 28, 2016 05:04pm
This video has captured the very depths of my frustration about the way we have erased 80 percent of our people from our social consciousness. Thank you Dawn for your reporting.
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a Pakistani Jul 28, 2016 05:20pm
@Tamilselvan Well said bro.
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empowered without nike Jul 28, 2016 07:20pm
Been doing it. Barefoot. Nailed it.... awesome... Empowering is about being independent financially and strong socially. You're empowered when rest of your family and friends ask for your opinion and consider it important; but you can take a decision yourself without any consultation.
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charu Jul 29, 2016 03:20pm
when i saw the Nike ad i had the exact same thought. I pay to lift weights at gym, while my nani makes chatni with a sill batta, and in our village my bhabhi still masalas with haman dasta and despite all the weight lifting i still cant muster the strength to do either of those. In a nutshell: Desi women : 1 Nike:0
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