A girls’ day out doesn’t only mean matching outfits anymore. It can mean walking in groups, carrying pepper spray, sharing locations and still wondering if it’s enough
Why is stepping out even during the day still a task for women in 2026? Does the weather compensate for the countless reported harassment and sexual assault cases this month?
So when girls chant, “Stop blaming the victim,” it isn’t just a slogan. We screamed “Azaadi” together. Like a loving aunt, she placed one in my hand and said, “Pakdo.
We love Delhi for its weather. The cold breeze, the occasional drizzle, the sudden change of seasons – there is something about it that makes everyone fall in love with the city all over again. After classes, students from different colleges stepped out into the rain to claim their campus and demand something as basic as safety. “Naari apne aap ki, nahi kisi ke baap ki. “She wasn’t asking for it. “It’s a dress, not a yes. “No woman is free until all women are free. Three cases of sexual assault have recently come to light, but the incident near Lady Shri Ram College for Women brought the conversation around women’s safety back into focus. The details change, but the questions remain painfully familiar – What were you wearing? Why were you alone? It is a reminder that they may have to step out and fight for what they believe is right instead of simply spending an afternoon with friendsin North Campus. Students from across the city marched together. It didn’t matter which college you came from or what you studied. For a few hours, we were united by the same frustration. At one point, a student offered me some respite from the drizzle under her umbrella. She asked if I wanted a lozenge or a toffee. I refused. It didn’t matter. Solidarity comes in many forms. I recently saw a reel by a popular creator poking fun at the way Delhiites describe their city – from chhole bhature and gol gappe to its winters. She was right. As soon as autumn arrives, our feeds fill with Central Delhi auto rides, bougainvillea and Saptaparni. But do women experience that city in the same way? A girls’ day out doesn’t only mean matching outfits anymore. It can mean walking in groups, carrying pepper spray, sharing locations and still wondering if it’s enough. When was the last time you walked down an empty road without turning around twice? When was the last time you got drenched in the rain without worrying about who might be watching? Is the low AQI and cool breeze only for men?
On Monday, while men were probably out for a gedi, enjoying the weather, women from Delhi University were out too – but for a different reason.
These are uncomfortable questions I sit with. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last. But this time, I will think harder if the weather is meant for everyone equally. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.