In Conversation With Nikita Patodia, The Director Of Point Of View

Point of View is a Mumbai-based non-profit platform that brings the points of view of women into social, cultural, and public domains through media, art, and culture. I came across their website quite by chance and I was so taken by the work they are doing that I had to bag an interview. Today, I finally managed to have a quick conversation with Nikita Patodia, the director of Point of View. Over to her.

How did Point Of View come into being?

Point of View was started by Bishakha Datta along with a bunch of feminists. The first project was back in 1997. It had been 50 years of independence, so Bishakha and all the other feminists prepared and took to 22 cities a photo exhibition called ‘In Black & White’. Basically, the photos questioned what 50 years of independence meant for women. Back then one of the mission statements was without the point of view of women, what’s the point at all?

 Why do you focus on the issues of sexuality, disability, and technology?

Gender and sexuality have always been at the heart of all the work that has happened at Point of View. Our focus has changed over time…we now identify as a queer ally organization. The focus is on disability because disability is something that should be part of every rights-based discourse. As for technology, well we live in the digital age and we have to understand proactively what that means for women and queer people.

Since sexuality and technology are two of your main areas of focus, what are your views on the recent porn ban in India?

Simply put, banning porn is not the solution. Porn should change, not be banned. The problem isn’t naked bodies, it’s the lack of consent.

How can interested individuals support your cause?

We are open to collaborations with pretty much anybody. If they have any concrete ideas, they can write to us at  info@pointofview.org. You can always make a donation if you so wish as well.

Check out Point of View at http://pointofview.org/.