Nikhil Taneja is a storyteller and the founder of Yuvaa, a platform that listens to and shares stories to bring young India together. He is also on the global advisory board of Goalkeepers, a Gates Foundation initiative that aims to catalyze action toward the Global Goals, bringing together leaders from around the world to accelerate progress toward ending poverty and fighting inequality. We asked Nikhil to recommend five creators who are exploring gender equality through humor, storytelling, and art. Here are his picks.
Five to Follow: Nikhil Taneja’s Picks
4 min
Photo by Noemi Cassanelli | Getty Images
Aditi Mittal | @addymitzy
As one of India’s first female stand-up comedians, Aditi Mittal not only champions and actively advocates for the inclusion of women in Indian stand-up comedy, she also uses her humor to bring to light the inequality and sexism that young women in India face every day. Aditi is an inspiration—she’s changed comedy in India, and she is absolutely hilarious in both her stand-up and her social media.
As one of India’s first female stand-up comedians, Aditi Mittal not only champions and actively advocates for the inclusion of women in Indian stand-up comedy, she also uses her humor to bring to light the inequality and sexism that young women in India face every day. Aditi is an inspiration—she’s changed comedy in India, and she is absolutely hilarious in both her stand-up and her social media.
Vitamin Stree | @vitaminstree
Vitamin Stree is a hugely underrated gem of a video channel—it combines a brilliant creative vision with an empathetic and insightful approach to gender. With its heart in the right place and a vision to break down gender in an easy-to-understand manner, Vitamin Stree is the friend you didn’t know you needed for conversations you need to have.
Vitamin Stree is a hugely underrated gem of a video channel—it combines a brilliant creative vision with an empathetic and insightful approach to gender. With its heart in the right place and a vision to break down gender in an easy-to-understand manner, Vitamin Stree is the friend you didn’t know you needed for conversations you need to have.
Rega Jha | @regajha
Rega was the founder-editor of Buzzfeed India. As one of the youngest media heads in the country, she created a space for inclusive conversations about gender that had not previously existed in the youth media landscape. Since moving on from Buzzfeed, she’s perhaps even more influential than before, using Instagram to learn—and unlearn—about everything from gender to sexuality, right along with the rest of us, in real time.
Rega was the founder-editor of Buzzfeed India. As one of the youngest media heads in the country, she created a space for inclusive conversations about gender that had not previously existed in the youth media landscape. Since moving on from Buzzfeed, she’s perhaps even more influential than before, using Instagram to learn—and unlearn—about everything from gender to sexuality, right along with the rest of us, in real time.
Kruttika Susarla | @kruttika
Kruttika Susarla is a fabulous artist who has been using comic art to start the kinds of conversations about intersectional feminism that are often tougher to have through text. I came across her Instagram feed when she used the 36 Days of Type challenge to do an “A to Z” of Indian feminism. Almost every day I learned something new about gender in India through her art.
Kruttika Susarla is a fabulous artist who has been using comic art to start the kinds of conversations about intersectional feminism that are often tougher to have through text. I came across her Instagram feed when she used the 36 Days of Type challenge to do an “A to Z” of Indian feminism. Almost every day I learned something new about gender in India through her art.
“Man Enough” | @wearemanenough
“Jane the Virgin” actor and star Justin Baldoni is the mind behind the talk show, “Man Enough,” as well as its public face. This show is, arguably, the most wholesome series of conversations featuring men on the Internet today. A rare forum where men can be introspective about their gender and the stereotypes that come with it, “Man Enough” challenges notions of manliness and allows for the safe space that men need to talk about feelings.
“Jane the Virgin” actor and star Justin Baldoni is the mind behind the talk show, “Man Enough,” as well as its public face. This show is, arguably, the most wholesome series of conversations featuring men on the Internet today. A rare forum where men can be introspective about their gender and the stereotypes that come with it, “Man Enough” challenges notions of manliness and allows for the safe space that men need to talk about feelings.
