Watch: Shameful Women? Nah, They're Successful Women

Were boys naturally inclined to hold back their tears, or did they learn over time that "real men don’t cry"? Were girls born quiet and reserved, or did society teach them to suppress their voices? Were we born feeling conscious or ashamed of our bodies and sexualities, or did society's expectations teach us to compare and criticise ourselves?

What do these questions make you think about? If you weren’t ashamed of who you are and what you have, you would become the empowered version of yourself, fully embracing and excelling in the unique opportunities life presents.

Were We Born With Shame Or Was It Taught To Us Along The Way?

This is exactly the conversation that Shaili Chopra, founder of SheThePeople and Gytree, had with Lilly Singh, an artist, content creator, and social activist in her podcast for Unicorn Island. Chopra kicked off the discussion stating, “We all learnt shame. We weren’t born with it, right? I was born equal, but then I was taught that everything I do, say, how I sit, and what I aspire to achieve is all wrapped in shame.”

Lilly responded by highlighting the irony in societal expectations, pointing out, “Many of the things we've been conditioned to feel ashamed of are actually the very qualities that define successful women. Shame for being too loud, for being outspoken, for being assertive.” 

Chopra nodded in agreement and emphasised the importance of changing this narrative: “What we're trying to do is flip the script. We’re transitioning from shameful to successful. It’s about celebrating successful women, not shameful ones. You heard it here, from my best friend and me.” 

Chopra and Singh's conversation underscores a powerful message: the qualities that society often labels as shameful can instead be embraced as attributes of strength and success in women.

Watch the whole conversation here.