Women in Sikhism |

"What does a Kaur look like?" (Source: A Kaur's Thoughts.)

What does a Sikh woman look like?

September 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On A Kaur’s Thoughts, blogger Lakhpreet Kaur considers the physical identity that defines or describes the Sikh woman, asking: what does a Kaur look like? …since the Kaur’s physical identity is in constant flux and not universally consistent, it is difficult to say Kaurs are visually different from non-Kaurs. The social category of “Kaur,” is not as solidified as “Singh,” because it is impossible to define what Kaur physically looks like. What is she not? How is a Kaur visually […]

Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: A Kaur's Thoughts, Lakhpreet Kaur, physical identity, Sikh women, Women in Sikhism

Demonstrators protest against violence towards women. (Source: Washington Post)

The role of the religious in ending violence against women

August 9, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

By coincidence, an article in The Washington Post by Satpal Singh of the World Sikh Council offers a corollary to the recent post about contextualizing God using male-oriented pronouns. Satpal Singh discusses the issue of the status of women and the role that faith must play in promoting gender quality: As a first step, we must stop accusing God of misogyny and of creating women as inferior to men. We must stress in our religious services that God does not […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Satpal Singh, Sikh women, Washington Post, Women, Women in Sikhism, Women's rights, World Sikh Council

"Expansive God." (Source: Art for God's Sake)

God, in the female

August 6, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Patheos, Deborah W. Dykes questions the use of masculine pronouns when referring to God, and the implications this has for young girls: Questioning the use of male pronouns to refer to God is unimaginable for some people. Male language about God so permeates our thinking and our conversation we don’t even hear or recognize it. Obviously, none of us sets out to harm our children, anyone’s children. But, harm them we do. Today, most of us do not intend […]

Categories: Interfaith, Sikhism • Tags: Deborah W. Dykes, Sikh women, Women in Sikhism

"Sophia the First" tiara. (Source: Total Birthday)

Raising a warrior princess

July 11, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On the blog Mom.me, writer Navdeep Singh Dhillon reflects on raising his daughter and muses on gender enforcement, tea parties, and tutus: While she rarely forgets she’s a princess, she has developed an affinity for strong female characters in the shows she watches and books she finds on our weekly bookstore/library outings, which she chooses herself, as much as I’d like to think I’m in charge. Luckily, the characters she’s drawn to are much like herself: feisty, and independent. Read […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: gender enforcement, Kaur, Navdeep Singh Dhillon, Sikh children, Sikh women, Sophia the First, Women in Sikhism

The experiences of Sikh women who wear turbans

June 14, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The blog A Kaur’s Thoughts presents results of a survey about women who wear turbans (dastar). While it is not as common for Sikh women to wear this article of faith as it is for men, it appears that its adoption among Sikh women is growing. One chart was particularly noteworthy. On the question about whether other women in their families wear a dastar, one type of response was the most common: Interestingly, over half of the respondents (there were […]

Categories: Reports/Studies • Tags: A Kaur's Thoughts, Sikh women, turbans, Women in Sikhism

Balpreet Kaur at TEDxOhioStateUniversity. (source: YouTube)

Balpreet Kaur and the power of kindness

May 15, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last fall, Ohio college student Balpreet Kaur became well-known for her response to a photo of her that was surreptitiously posted to the social website Reddit: The object of the photo was an attempt at mockery. Among the first 100 responses to the posting on Reddit were harsh and derogatory comments about Balpreet Kaur’s facial hair, gender, ethnicity, and religion. And, what began as mockery on one specific website was beginning to spread virally on the internet. Balpreet Kaur’s response […]

Categories: Interfaith, Profiles • Tags: Balpreet Kaur, Ohio, Ohio State University, Reddit, TED, TEDx, Women in Sikhism

Photo of Balpreet Kaur posted on Reddit. (source: Reddit)

The Top 5 Sikh American Stories of 2012: The inspiring grace of Balpreet Kaur

January 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In September, one Sikh American woman from Ohio became an inspiration to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. Balpreet Kaur was standing in line at the airport when an individual surreptitiously took her photo and posted it on the website Reddit, with the caption: “I’m not sure what to conclude from this.” The object of the photo was an attempt at mockery. Among the first 100 responses to the posting on Reddit were harsh and derogatory comments about Balpreet Kaur’s facial hair, […]

Categories: Reflections, Sikhism • Tags: Balpreet Kaur, Huffington Post, Reddit, Top 5 Sikh American Stories, Women in Sikhism

Women of the World Panel Discussion at the Sacramento Sikh Temple in California on October 24, 2012. (source: Sacramento Sikh Temple)

West Sacramento, CA Gurdwara hosts Sikh women’s discussion panel

October 26, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On Wednesday, the Sacramento Sikh Temple in West Sacramento, California hosted a women-only seminar for the Women of the World interest group of the American Association of University Women, Sacramento, to discuss various aspects of the Sikh woman’s experience: [According to] Harjit Grewal, attorney with the Shergill Law Firm, “As a community, we have learned that events like this are our best weapon in combating ignorance and encouraging collaboration.” “Education is like a great light that helps us see the […]

Categories: Events • Tags: American Association of University Women, Bobbie Singh-Allen, California, Goldy Shergill, Harjit Kaur Grewal, Leigh Stephens, Sacramento, Sikh Temple Sacramento, Sikh women, West Sacramento, Women in Sikhism, Women of the World

More than just ethnic bigotry: Sikh articles of faith and women

September 27, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Much has been written recently about the case of Ohio college student Balpreet Kaur. When her photo was surreptitiously taken and posted to the website Reddit as an object of mockery, her response to this demonstrated so much grace and eloquence, that she instead became an inspiration to many — so much so that even the person who originally posted the photo apologized. Balpreet Kaur is an inspiration, and her situation provides a learning for many of us Sikhs and […]

Categories: Reflections • Tags: Balpreet Kaur, beauty, Facial hair, Inderpal Kaur, Reddit, Turban, uncut hair, Women in Sikhism

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: Women in Sikhism