The piece explores Her Autonomy, a feminist reading collective founded by Naksi Timbadia, which creates inclusive reading circles and community spaces for women and queer people across India. Through free public gatherings, curated texts and support resources, the initiative encourages participants to engage deeply with literature while reclaiming public spaces and building meaningful communities.
My biggest umbrage with the way literature was taught in school was that we weren’t taught its context. When texts are studied in a vacuum, they fail to capture the depth they possess. We were reading Dickens, Shakespeare, and Tagore, but because of how knowledge consumption is structured in our education system, we were taught to take these texts at face value.
I had the privilege of having one of the best English teachers anyone could ask for in the ninth grade. She taught me how to read texts, explaining why Shylock’s character was written the way he was in light of the religious politics of 16th-century Venice, or why Hemingway structured his prose the way he did. She also introduced us to the concept of the literary canon and explained how many communities were pushed to the periphery of art and culture, their work overlooked by history. She urged us to read critically outside the classroom and explore authors such as Emily Dickinson and Kamala Das. Having that space opened up entirely new ways of thinking about feminist literature and taught me how to read actively rather than passively.
Reading literature this way automatically makes readers more aware, empathetic, and genuinely invested in the world around them. 'Her Autonomy', a feminist reading circle, is doing just that by creating a safe third space for women and queer folks through reading circles and potlucks across the country.
Started by Naksi Timbadia, the initiative began last year with just five people who wanted to create opportunities for women to engage with literature and community in a safer and more inclusive way. Now, with over 2,000 followers on Instagram and reading circles being hosted in seven cities across India, Her Autonomy hosts its gatherings in parks and public spaces, fostering a community free from baggage or ulterior monetary motives. The goal is to reclaim leisure and engage with works written for parts of society that have been pushed to the periphery for far too long.
Her Autonomy is built to support and ensure that every member of the circle feels cared for. All of the reading circles are free, and all the texts are provided by the volunteers themselves. The texts are curated by Timbadia, along with supporting media and literature that help contextualise the readings, build a richer world around them, and generate meaningful discourse. At the circles, volunteers also provide information about free or low-cost therapy resources, along with legal aid services for those who may not otherwise have access to them.
Initiatives like these help women and queer folks claim public spaces with greater confidence and agency. Building and strengthening community is a central part of this effort. In the kind of world we live in, taking up space is often the first step towards being seen and represented culturally. Doing so in public spaces, places where marginalised communities have historically not always felt safe, is already an act of defiance, even when it is not outwardly confrontational.
Follow Her Autonomy on Instagram for updates on upcoming reading circles.
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