I am disappointed I missed class today due to illness.  I am sure people had a lot to say about “The World Before Her.”  I really enjoyed this film because I think it fairly showed both arguments on how Indian women should act and be portrayed.  For example, in the beginning of the film we hear Indian women state two contrasting views: “our past is our roots, we cannot leave our roots…” and “[a]s much as a love and respect my culture, I think of myself as a really modern young girl.”  These statements set the stage for the rest of the film, which takes a look at women in both pageant and fundamentalist camp life.

After watching the film, I thought back to the former two quotes and wondered why only the pageant beauty life was considered “modern.”  Many of the speakers in the film discussed how Indian women either should or should not join the modern Western world.  It is interesting to note that both the pageant and camp women talked about things like “making their parents really proud.”  I was surprised to hear that the pageant world was not just about individual success and beauty.  Instead, many of the women related their pageant success to core family values.

It was really powerful to see all of the upbeat pageant scenes in contrast to the more serious scenes of the women in camp.  One of the women talked about how if the condition came, she would do anything to defend her religion.  This woman was stated to have gone to the camp for about twenty-one years.  Her father described her as “trained” and “mature.”   It was clear that she too was making her family proud.

Personally, I believe the “modern” girl should be allowed to do as she pleases, as long as she is not hurting anyone.  I could see why Hindu fundamentalists are worried about the objectification of women in their culture, but I do not think women should ever be restricted in their opportunities.  If Indian women want to be in pageants, they should be allowed to.  Furthermore, if Indian women want to join fundamentalist camps, they should also be allowed to.  I would like to think that the “modern girl” anywhere in the world is the girl who has freedom of choice and abundance of opportunity.