Varisha Tariq

Varisha Tariq is an Independent Journalist and writer working with the intersectionality of culture, travel, and gender.

Gender + Politics

With a master's in Gender and Law from SOAS, University of London and a Liberal Arts degree from Ashoka University, Delhi, my education has been deeply marked by feminism and global politics. My work experience in NGOs, Charities and Social organisations (From Delhi to Sierra Leone) has always revolved around gender, and as someone who has faced her own set of patriarchal and marginalised restrictions, I continuously produce work that amplifies the voice of marginalised and gives voice to focal issue in our economy, society, education and culture.  

Naked Politics •

Should a Private Insurance System Replace The NHS? These NHS Doctors Are Against It

Free healthcare is a right we take for granted - but is the UK's NHS safe from private hands? by Varisha Tariq

The UK’s National Health Service - which provides universal healthcare for free - is something Britain can be proud of but it isn’t entirely safe. Increasing privatisation of our public health service is leading to a creep in business interests, with a private insurance system being just one proposed aspect of this.NHS doctors and many other healthcare professionals, especially those who owe...
HARD COPY •

The Beauty Stranglehold: how deeply repulsive is a woman to the world? — HARD COPY

The cosmetic surgery industry is predicted to balloon from $59.77 billion in 2024 to $81.66 billion by 2032. In a world ruled by algorithms, almost everyone is getting something done. A popular Instagram influencer, who would frequently receive comments telling her how beautiful she looked, shared her journey of her addiction to getting plastic surgery done. Not only did she spend $30,000 on herself, but she got her first surgery when she was 16. While she kept things transparent, it's important...
HARD COPY •

Dismantling Oppression with Love — HARD COPY

Women have begun to claim public spaces, as something we can see in the changing relationships with their friends.  In the cultural attempt to restrain women to their houses, an overthrow has already begun. For many, the motivation behind this is that they have seen their mother struggle in her life without friendship. We see it in popular culture where shows on feminist friendships have begun to take space, or in solidarity movements, instagram and tiktok reels. However, for women belonging to...
TheQuint •

'No One To Help Us': Why Indian Students Are Struggling To Find Jobs in UK

"When I moved to the UK to study, I was not expecting the political situation to be so anti-working class. It makes me feel that I am not wanted here for anything apart from my money – neither for my work nor as a student," Kriti Singhal (name changed to protect identity), who is working part-time while completing her Master's at the London School of Economics, told The Quint. Every year, the UK has the highest number of Indians (whether students or job-seekers) migrating to the country – more s
Missing Perspectives •

Outrage at jail sentence for UK woman who had late-term abortion - Missing Perspectives

In Britain, abortions are only legal up to 23 weeks and 6 days. The woman terminated her pregnancy later than the 24-week legal allowance by using pills that she ordered via a telehealth-style postal service that offered patients at-home medical .

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said that the mother kept her actual pregnancy term hidden and claimed it to be under ten weeks. A court heard that the woman was unsure of how far along she was when she took the pills. She was imprisoned for 28
Missing Perspective •

Meritocracy isn’t working for Muslim women in India - Missing Perspectives

Women with Hindu-sounding names received twice as much attention from hiring recruiters than women with Muslim-sounding names, studies show.


In June 2022, a social organization called Led By that offers professional mentoring for Muslim women, conducted a study where researchers sent out resumes with the names “Priyanka Sharma” and “Habiba Ali”. Over a period of eight months, every call back Habiba, the Muslim woman, got, Priyanka, the Hindu woman, got two.


The hiring bias, comparing majo
Metro •

I've spent over £40,000 to study in London as an international student

I’ve spent over £40,000 to study in London as an international student

I’ve spent over £40,000 to study in London as an international student

I stood still on the central London pavement as I tried to work out the cheapest way to get home.

‘I live in Islington, so I could walk to either Warren Street or Tottenham Court Road station and get the Tube,’ I thought to myself. ‘But that is almost twice as much as what the bus would cost.’

It would be a 27-minute walk, but I had already walked 6,00
Vogue India •

Are dating apps in India designed to make us swipe right on privilege?

Bumble, Tinder, OkCupid, Happn, Hinge, TrulyMadly, Woo and Badoo are just a few of the many dating apps in India that have become all the rage in recent times. We all know the gist: Modern life leaves hardly any time for organic connections to grow, and apps are convenient to fight off the ephemeral feeling of loneliness. You have the information required to assess an individual and see whether you can connect with them at your fingertips. If you have been on the apps, you know it’s a split-seco
Feminism In India •

Islamophobia In The Times Of A Pandemic

We are living in a deeply political and critical time. Prior to the pandemic, COVID-19, that has now gripped the entire world, India was going through a massive shift in its political grounds. To say that we were in a position of crumbling as a nation because of the massive economic and social crisis would still be an understatement because we have actually been in this position for quite a long time. And the layer that covers the entire crisis looks a lot like communal hatred or Islamophobia wh
Feminism In India •

Women! It Is Time To Infiltrate Into The Tech World

Technology is constantly evolving and diversifying into more and more fields. There are new gadgets, equipment, designs that are not only making the world a bit more convenient but also giving us an enhanced experience of everything around us. Professionally speaking this is the field that is also pulling the most money and constantly growing. It is no hidden truth that technology is also the field that is not easily accessible to women. Women in India experience several barriers that usually hi
Feminism In India •

Begum Hamida Habibullah: Politician And Social Activist | #IndianWomenInHistory

Begum Hamida Habibullah was one of the most popular faces in Lucknow; her work as a politician and a social activist changed the lives of thousands of women in and out of Lucknow.

Begum Hamida Habibullah was born on 20 November 1916, hailing from Hyderabad, she was the daughter of Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung of Hyderabad and Talmain Khatoon. At the age of 22, she was married to Major General Enaith Habibullah, who was the founder of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla. Her later life as a politici
Feminism In India •

In Conversation With Professor Bittu: A Neuroscientist And A Queer Activist

The first time I attended Professor Bittu’s talk was during a celebratory gathering at Ashoka University when Section 377 was struck down. The second time, I attended his lecture for a Psychology 101 class, where he spoke about how the brain works. In both cases, I was awestruck by his brilliance and his passion for teaching, which was evident in the way he engaged with his students and articulated his ideas.

A Queer activist and a Neuroscientist, Professor Bittu has been a tireless advocate fo
Feminism In India •

Mental Health During Menopause: The Collective Ignorance And Lack Of Support

Menopause and mental health have not been a very active part of discussions at the dinner table. This has happened mainly for two reasons. One, the long-drawn stigma against any conversation regarding a woman’s reproductive health and mental health and two, because menopause is mostly regarded as something that brings physical changes in a woman’s body but is barely ever associated with the psychological changes a person goes through during this period.

In a country like India, with its vast cu
Feminism In India •

The War At Muslim Doorsteps: Voices That Were Left Unheard

I was in class eleventh when I first had to defend my reason for not liking the Bharatiya Janata Party. Somehow the fact that BJP stands against an entire minority community, the Muslim community, was not enough of a justification. I was attacked with words that stated how BJP was going to turn the country around with its “economic and international policies”. The MUN crowd sneered at me for choosing to side with my own community rather than the “growth and development or vikas” of the nation. H