8th March, a day dedicated to women worldwide, a day celebrating womanhood, but somehow this doesn't in the least bit makes me feel any special about being a woman. The very need to put up a date specifically to remind the world to acknowledge and appreciate women all over is in it's own way tragic. But sad as it may be it's all done in good faith, with hope that people all over accept and admit that women face problems well beyond the understanding of a man.
Today my inbox was flooded with inspirational messages for women, lines describing a woman's greatness, a silent plea to love, care for and understand us in the way we deserve. We celebrate this day even as we had a gruesome reminder of what happened in the case of Aruna Shanbaug; even as she lays in the hospital bed, where she has been for the last 37 years of her life, not moving, not talking; even as the person responsible for her condition now roams around free after serving just 7 years jail time for the most brutal crime imaginable.
We celebrate this day even as each of us have been at one time or the other been at the receiving end of what generally is called eve-teasing. To always be on guard, to always have a male relative/friend around to feel safe, being subjected to the never ending list of gender-discriminations, this constant need to stay alert and so much more and yet to be put through all of this over and over again does not quite seem to be in sync with the notion that it's a woman's world as much as it is a man's.
We prove ourselves, we do it over and over again and yet we're still expected to. Even if we end up conquering it all, scaling all heights, and we miss out one small thing we hear the same old line again 'Women cannot do it'. We've reached the pinnacle of success and we still find the time to be a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife, a friend...managing these without breaking a sweat; yet this goes unnoticed, because we're simply 'expected' to do all of this, simply because it's a woman's job to do everything right.
We celebrate this day even as Natalie Portman was criticized for being happy about being pregnant, criticized by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for having a baby out of wed-lock. Ok so I paid attention in the sex-ed class, I'm sure I got this right that it takes the male sperm to get woman pregnant. Not only does Mr Huckabee not mention her fiancée Benjamin Millepied (leave alone blame him too) but also accuses Portman of being confident about being a single parent! Her fault he says is she is glamorizing single parenthood.
We celebrate this day even as female infanticide is as big a problem as ever, even that it exists is such a shame. We celebrate this day even as the girl child is being deprived of education and left to learn the household chores to perfection lest her male relatives face any discomfort. We celebrate this day even as each one of us is judged as under constant scrutiny of the society lest we disgrace our family and their honour.
We celebrate this day even as I will be termed feminist for my views and opinions that differentiate women from a doormat. We celebrate this day even as this article will be called cynical as opposed to realistic.
So is emancipation of women in the truest sense a far fetched dream? An illusion to the most part...? For every girl to be able to walk free, feel safe, and live well is what we wish for. In the hope that there comes a day as such here's to all the ladies around. Happy Women's day.
Today my inbox was flooded with inspirational messages for women, lines describing a woman's greatness, a silent plea to love, care for and understand us in the way we deserve. We celebrate this day even as we had a gruesome reminder of what happened in the case of Aruna Shanbaug; even as she lays in the hospital bed, where she has been for the last 37 years of her life, not moving, not talking; even as the person responsible for her condition now roams around free after serving just 7 years jail time for the most brutal crime imaginable.
We celebrate this day even as each of us have been at one time or the other been at the receiving end of what generally is called eve-teasing. To always be on guard, to always have a male relative/friend around to feel safe, being subjected to the never ending list of gender-discriminations, this constant need to stay alert and so much more and yet to be put through all of this over and over again does not quite seem to be in sync with the notion that it's a woman's world as much as it is a man's.
We prove ourselves, we do it over and over again and yet we're still expected to. Even if we end up conquering it all, scaling all heights, and we miss out one small thing we hear the same old line again 'Women cannot do it'. We've reached the pinnacle of success and we still find the time to be a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife, a friend...managing these without breaking a sweat; yet this goes unnoticed, because we're simply 'expected' to do all of this, simply because it's a woman's job to do everything right.
We celebrate this day even as Natalie Portman was criticized for being happy about being pregnant, criticized by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for having a baby out of wed-lock. Ok so I paid attention in the sex-ed class, I'm sure I got this right that it takes the male sperm to get woman pregnant. Not only does Mr Huckabee not mention her fiancée Benjamin Millepied (leave alone blame him too) but also accuses Portman of being confident about being a single parent! Her fault he says is she is glamorizing single parenthood.
We celebrate this day even as female infanticide is as big a problem as ever, even that it exists is such a shame. We celebrate this day even as the girl child is being deprived of education and left to learn the household chores to perfection lest her male relatives face any discomfort. We celebrate this day even as each one of us is judged as under constant scrutiny of the society lest we disgrace our family and their honour.
We celebrate this day even as I will be termed feminist for my views and opinions that differentiate women from a doormat. We celebrate this day even as this article will be called cynical as opposed to realistic.
So is emancipation of women in the truest sense a far fetched dream? An illusion to the most part...? For every girl to be able to walk free, feel safe, and live well is what we wish for. In the hope that there comes a day as such here's to all the ladies around. Happy Women's day.
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