#Barbie
A Burger King Barbie meal in Brazil. Custom Crocs, pink of course. A Prada clothing line. Over a 100 partnerships ensured that Barbie was never off the headlines up until its launch on July 21. And people don’t want to get left behind. K-Pop crooned Barbie. Pink cars at parking lots jammed Instagram. More partners came in along the way. Josh Goldstine, Global Marketing President at Warner Bros., was quoted as saying that while he had worked on over 250 movies including Spider Man, he hadn’t felt ‘this kind of electricity in a long time’. Nor had the market seen such frenzy around a movie’s release, globally. A win-win for Warner and Mattel. Perfect marketing for a film that is said to spotlight human imperfections in the otherwise perfect and plastic Barbie universe.
the barbie promo is crazy it reached kpop pic.twitter.com/0L9d7CrfFD
— Jackie (@eunhaesthetiic) July 20, 2023
Death in plastic it's fantastic!! #Barbie #BarbieTheMovie pic.twitter.com/95g0iyIclq
— TAFFO (@taffoofficial) July 21, 2023
It’s not a movie, it’s an ad campaign for a piece of plastic. #Barbie
— namchu (@namchu) July 21, 2023
#Manipur
For yet another week, we shall consciously refrain from touching politics and all things that could be coloured with a political agenda. That said, it would be terribly unfair for a website that writes on media to not recognise committed journalists and media houses for the news and perspectives they have presented, on the Manipur shame of May 2023 that came to light much later. Their work matters in situations like these, as much as that of the Supreme Court. As the Chief Justice rightly said, “Using women as instruments to perpetrate violence is simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.” Irrespective of which part of the country it happens in and who is in power, the despicable and horrendous acts of a mob have put the nation to shame. That the video came out much later, inaction by authorities despite information available and the repercussions of an internet ban in conflict areas are critical topics that the media is delving into.
Speaking to #TheIndianExpress, the younger woman, one of two women that were paraded naked and sexually assaulted in #Manipur, said: “The police were there with the mob which was attacking our village. The police picked us up from near home, and took us a little away from the… pic.twitter.com/D3BdnhNT6o
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) July 20, 2023
This! pic.twitter.com/39l0RWlHzp
— Faye DSouza (@fayedsouza) July 20, 2023
Before the video of the alleged incident of women being paraded naked and brutally assaulted in #Manipur went viral, the National Commission for Women had been apprised of the same more than a month ago on June 12. | @sreeparna_chttps://t.co/v3Z1rQ5dJP
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) July 21, 2023
#MumbaiRains
The monsoons and Mumbai make for a great time if you’re not on the roads. Whether you’re trying to get to the airport or catch a train back home after a truncated work day, there is no guarantee that you will make it. For those lucky enough to be ensconced in the comfort of their homes, it’s another story. There are always two sides to every story. But the tale of infrastructure woes could do with a change in script – not just in Mumbai but in most urban dwellings we have come to call home.
Sometimes you can hear music when there is none. #MumbaiRains pic.twitter.com/UXpF1To5zD
— Dr. Rahul Baxi (@baxirahul) July 21, 2023
#MumbaiRains welcome welcome to khar water park pic.twitter.com/jQXIK3eoRp
— MUMBAI (@JB74904720) July 21, 2023
Condition in Kurla right now #MumbaiRains #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/IgdAQAE9l3
— Saurabh Rathhore (@SauReal) July 21, 2023
#ICCCricketWorldCup
The Men’s World Cup, to be specific. On July 13, 2023, the International Cricket Council announced equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at all of its events. One can feel a bit proud that the BCCI had taken the lead on this significant development. It will be some time before the men’s and women’s competitions garner the same kind of following and hence sponsors, but the ICC must be lauded for achieving this target ahead of its target of 2030. Elsewhere, Shah Rukh Khan is in the spotlight as the ambassador for the upcoming Men’s Cricket World Cup with a promo themed ‘One Day’. For women’s cricket, that day has arrived.
History will be written and dreams will be realised at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 🏆
All it takes is just one day ✨ pic.twitter.com/G5J0Fyzw0Z
— ICC (@ICC) July 20, 2023
https://twitter.com/smileandraja/status/1681543750634332160?s=20
https://twitter.com/icecricnews/status/1680155252727902208?s=20
#MahsaAmini
If one part of the world moves two steps forward towards equality, there is another place somewhere that is taking a step back. In Iran, the morality police are back on the streets. The clampdown is real. And so is the support from across the world for the protestors and their cause of #WomanLifeFreedom. Virgin’s Richard Branson has raised his voice. FC Barcelona have done what the Brazil women’s soccer team did down under – arrive on a plane with images of Mahsa Amini and jailed footballer Amir Nasr Azdani, with the same solidarity message emblazoned: “No woman should be forced to cover her head”. “No man should be hanged for saying this.”
The @FCBarcelona team lands in LA on a plane that pays tribute to the #IranProtests, with images of #MahsaAmini and jailed footballer #AmirNasrAzdani.
Message on plane: “No woman should be forced to cover her head”/“No man should be hanged for saying this.”#WomanLifeFreedom pic.twitter.com/A5kplP8gxv— Jonathan Harounoff (@JonathanHaroun1) July 20, 2023
10 months after #MahsaAmini died in police custody and protests erupted across Iran, the regime’s (anything but) morality police are patrolling the streets again to detain women not wearing the hijab. It’s an unacceptable assault on women’s lives and rights:…
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) July 17, 2023
Two days ago, the Islamic Republic announced the 'return of the morality police'.
Their duties consist of throwing girls to the ground, violently beating them & abducting them in broad daylight.
Remember – #MahsaAmini died under the custody of these criminals.#IranRevoIution pic.twitter.com/NV5rd3ThK3
— Anusha | انوشا (@anushashojai) July 18, 2023
(The author observes Tweets at @Goks140. Views are personal.)
