Becoming is too much of a burden. That’s what the society does – force you to become someone, someone it approves, someone it wants to see, someone who fits its idea of who a real man or a woman is. Whether you succumb to its whims and fancies, is completely your decision and that’s exactly the kind of lesson you need to learn from Aarifa Bhinderwala.

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Born in a Muslim family in India, this woman is a professional pole dancer and has zero fucks to give to what the society thinks of her and more importantly, her profession. Pole dancing is her passion and it has helped her get her strength back in life and that’s all that matters to her. To her, the love for pole dancing ranks way above the society’s judgements and opinions. Does that make you uncomfortable? Or the more important question – does it really bother her? You know the answer.

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There are so many instances in life that remind you that the society will always expect, sometimes even force by either moral policing or discrimination, you to conform to conventions. There are so many instances you will give up because it’s the easier thing to do. Aarifa’s story is what happens if you hold your ground. “Feelings can’t be a taboo. Then why is sexuality?” She questions.

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She has embraced her sexuality and everything that makes her the person she is and that’s been one of the best decisions of her life. Watch this video as she talks about her journey so far and take that much needed inspiration to start your personal journey of being who you really are, doing what you really love.

Kudos to your spirit, Aarifa. You’re truly an inspiration to not just women, but also a lot of men out there who are struggling to fight gender stereotypes. To everyone reading this, be who you are because it doesn’t get better than you!