Monday 9 March 2015

HAPPY Women's Day? We need happy WOMEN!



Is there a "Men's Day" that anyone has heard of?
I guess not. Why a "Women's Day" then? Why can't we just do away with this discrimination once and for all?
If there is one creation of God that needs to be celebrated every single day, it is the woman. For she is the reason mankind, or let's say the humankind exists. She is the source of life.
But still, I don't really see a reason to commemorate a day specially for women.
Their plight, not just in India, but in many other countries, is well known. Women are abused, beaten, sexually exploited, treated as scum, considered as objects of pleasure, taken for granted, seen as inferior beings who don't deserve to be happy, educated and independent at all. This is their plight in many parts of this world and is enough proof of how misogynistic our society is, even in the 21st century. 
I would like to talk about India first. We have definitely become one of the most powerful countries ever. But dowry related deaths, sati, age old rituals that continue to disgrace girls, are more prevalent than we could think of!
The mere fact that a future Super Power has "Beti bachao, beti badhao" as one of its prime campaigns, talks volumes about the miserable situation we are in.

India is almost on the verge of becoming an ideal example of HYPOCRISY!
Here, women empowerment is a very fancy concept with not much realism attached to it.
Our mornings begin with reading about instances of brutal rapes, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, gender bias and other forms of atrocities on women, in the papers.
Politicians condemn such crimes and easily forget that they ever happened. What follows is, some hue and cry by the media, debates on news channels, aggressive discussions on social platforms, sexist comments by chauvinists we have in abundance prejudiced opinions and more.
This somehow projects the victim as the culprit herself. Now I have never understood how that can be even possible, but yes, that is what happens always.
Some hype and hullabaloo later, things are forgotten. I really admire our exceptional ability to just move on. The whole cycle repeats on a regular basis.
I often feel people have become used to all this.
Every such case does nothing but push our tolerance limits further I guess.

What comes out of it all? The ridiculous belief that a woman is responsible and is the reason for anything that happens to her. I believe there is some very innovative form of research being conducted in several places in India, specifically focused on "rape", the findings of which are outrageously bizarre. We have recently got to know that eating junk food, having chowmein, stepping outside after it is dark, wearing western clothes, watching modern films, having male friends, going to school/college and other such things are causative factors for a female being raped.
So basically, we should understand that "living" itself is the reason for rape. If you are alive and existing like a normal human being, you are prone to all forms of sexual harassment. Isn't that brilliant?
Then they say lower the female marriageable age, encourage child marriage which is part of culture.. And hola, there would be no cases of rape and domestic violence.
The latest case I heard, was a man raping a 6 year old, using a 4 feet rod! There is no dearth of little married girls being exploited, innumerable cases of prostitution and human trafficking and what not. Can somebody ask those morons if wearing short dresses or eating junk food has anything got to do with it?

The recent documentary on Nirbhaya, as many of you must be aware of, has been banned from viewing in India. I still remember the kind of modern day revolution the barbaric incident had sparked. I had almost started feeling a humongous change was on its way. But with time, it all fussed out. And two and a half years after that horrific crime shook us all up, Nirbhaya's family, and her country are prohibited from watching what she went through.
Words fail me. You sacrifice your women first and then you go on to making them national heroes! Why such double standards?
Nirbhaya was supposedly every politician's daughter after she left the world for a better place. This ban, these narrow mindsets and the highly preposterous behaviour, is such an INSULT to Nirbhaya, to every woman in this country, which ironically, is known to have an enormous numbers of deities & goddesses who are worshipped day in and day out. We have mocked INDIA'S daughter.

I am more than sure that a "Nirbhaya" exists in every nook and corner of this land of COWARDS, bound by the shackles of helplessness, fear & suffering. She might shout or scream, but her voice would go unheard. She would either learn to live with eternal darkness, or succumb to her misery. There can be no greater shame for a country than the fact that every young girl curses her destiny for being born there.

If you continue suppressing the one who is right, matters would just go from bad to worse. Will you stop a girl from being a girl? Is it in her control? Why should it even be? It is not a fault but a privilege to be born as a woman! But unfortunately, I guess it will still take decades before an Indian girl can feel proud of her being! The need of the hour is to bring about a change in how men think, speak and behave. These are things that need to be worked upon right since a boy is born. You don't require a PhD to understand that there is no life without WOMEN! Literally and otherwise...

We don't wish to be idolized or worshipped. We don't wish to be treated superior. We are strong enough not to expect any favours. We don't ask you to celebrate us!
All we need is the love, respect & dignity we are worthy of, something we rightfully deserve!

Happy Women's Day? Instead, strive and make each day HAPPY for women. That is all they need!
More power to us WOMEN!


R