By Shilpa Phadke Why Loiter Women And Risk On Mumbai Streets Paperback Jun 2026

. It challenges the idea that women should only be in public for a reason. Instead, it advocates for: Purposeful Purposelessness : Reclaiming the streets for leisure, fun, and pleasure. The Right to Loiter

Phadke argues that the discourse on women’s safety in India has been hijacked by a protectionist logic. We constantly tell women: Don’t go there, it’s unsafe. Don’t wear that, you’ll attract attention. Don’t stay out late. While well-intentioned, these warnings shrink the geography of a woman’s life. The Right to Loiter Phadke argues that the

It is called loitering.

★★★★★ (Essential reading for urban planners, feminists, and anyone who has ever felt the weight of a thousand eyes while standing still.) Don’t stay out late

If you pick up the , here is what you will walk away with: ★★★★★ (Essential reading for urban planners

The book argues that women’s access to public space is conditional, temporary, and tied to respectability, safety, and purpose. Women are allowed in public if they are: