Ladies Toilet, as their Instagram profile says, is a space where womxn talk, makeup / make-up and shit. The Instagram profile also describes Ladies Toilet as ‘Intersectional Feminist Fight Club and Neo Suffragist Cult Ground’.
“It was the most unproductive summer we ever had. We weren’t students anymore, nor employed yet. We weren’t reading or writing enough. Despite anything we did, and considering everything we didn’t do, we felt unproductive. And that is when, in strike of a moment, Ladies Toilet was created,” say the @ladies_toilet Instagram holders.
“We often talked about curating a space to channel our feminist energies, but never put our idea to practice. We dreamt of having ‘a (virtual) room of our own’, but struggled to have one. Once we pledged to at least start with an Instagram account, we juggled with prospective names for the account. Soon we knew, if there were any such space that’s primarily dominated by womxn and most often free of a heterosexual male’s intervention, it’s the one and only- ladies’ toilet.”
They began exploring similar alternatives and realised that every womxn might not necessarily feel connected to ‘Mahila Shauchalaya’ or ‘Womxn’s Loo’, but ‘Ladies Toilet’ hit the most relatable chords.
A ladies’ toilet may be seen as an ordinary space where random womxn from different fields of life, walk in to release themselves. It is a place where womxn rush to comfort themselves, and cry their hearts out. It is also a place where new bonds are made, however momentary.
Some use it as a safe space, where they may change their dress, put on make-up, and be the versions of themselves that they are otherwise not allowed to become. Many a times, womxn just walk in a ladies’ toilet for a touch-up or to simply check on themselves. They come out feeling lighter, more stable and confident.
Ladies Toilet’s Instagram account @ladies_toilet is precisely an effort to live up to all these basic requirements. “Once we knew that ladies_toilet it is, we created the account in prompt,” the @ladies_toilet Instagram account holders say.
For a very long time, their admin posted at least once per day. At times, they would put in too many efforts to create a post, but struggled for much attention. At other and rare times, a few more likes on a certain post would suddenly boost their confidence and cheer them up. “We celebrated the count of every new follower, and rejoiced if we accidentally found someone sharing our post,” they say about their journey.
Having an Instagram account with more than 500 followers may not seem to be a great deal, but to them it’s a milestone achieved. This post is a tribute to each of their followers because ladies’ toilet is eventually a mere space which has no presence until put to use.
Neeraj Bhushan
More than a bystander. Chocolate soldier. Pineapple lover. Loves music & movies. Curious about news & trends.