Who Decides What Women Wear—and What Can Be Taken

In some parts of India, jewellery is used to show that a woman is married.

When a woman’s husband dies, other people may expect her to take off that jewellery.

The author tells how her aunt stopped people from breaking her niece’s bangles and said the niece should decide for herself.

Some widows choose to keep wearing their jewellery.

One woman says it helps her feel safer, while another wears it because she wants to.

The author says jewellery can be meaningful, but no one should force a woman to wear it or take it off.

Women should be able to make that choice for themselves.