What do you do when educated, urban, and supposedly progressive people your age say things that are deeply sexist, casteist, or homophobic? How do you respond when the very people who claim to support equality are the ones reinforcing oppression?

In this episode, I share real statements from 18-21 year olds that left me speechless. Dr. Sindhu Rajasekaran, scholar, author of the bestseller Smashing the Patriarchy and her latest book Forbidden Desires, and curator of The Subjective Space, helps me understand where these beliefs come from and, more importantly, how to respond to them. We go beyond just criticizing what’s wrong and focus on practical questions: How do you actually challenge someone when they say something harmful? What do you do when it’s a professor or someone with power over you? And how do you keep fighting when the person saying these things is someone you love?

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion on rape, caste-based violence including untouchability, homophobia, and stigmatization of sex workers.