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Here's a heartfelt ode to the Mother, and a lesson that we need to remember.
Here’s a heartfelt ode to the Mother, and a lesson that we need to remember.
Mother.
Womb of life.
Nine months, we devour your roots.
Screaming, we suck your trunk.
Waking, we demand your attention.
Laughing, we beg you to play.
Crying, we expect you to care.
Helpless, we rely on you.
A timeless tree of compassion.
Sunny warmth in the autumns of loss.
Bearer of our sorrows and joys.
From the moment we wake
’til the moment we sleep
You protect and nourish us.
When men become weak in your presence.
Their weapons are fists, dicks, and guns.
Yet still you forgive their raging blows
And still you care for their sons.
Without you we are nothing.
Without you we cannot survive.
Help the mother.
Respect the mother.
Forgive the mother.
Love the mother.
Her happiness is yours.
Pic credit: Image of hands making a heart sign via Shutterstock
Adele is a writer and activist on feminism, gender, culture, religion and human rights. She has spent the last few years commuting between London and India to study Buddhist Philosophy and the Tibetan language. Her read more...
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If her home and family seem to be impacted by her career then we expect her to prioritize her ‘responsibilities at home as a woman’ and leave her job.
The entrenched patriarchal norms have always perpetuated certain roles and responsibilities as falling specifically in the domain of either men or women. Traditionally, women have been associated with the domestic sphere while men have been considered the bread winner of the household. This division of roles has become so ingrained in our lives that we seldom come to question it. However, while not being questioned does give the system a certain level of legitimacy, it in no way proves its veracity.
This systematic division has resulted in a widely accepted notion whereby the public sphere is demarcated as a men’s zone and the private sphere as belonging to women. Consequently, women are expected to stay at home and manage the household chores while men are supposed to go out and make a living with no interest whatsoever in the running of the household.
This divide is said to be grounded in the intrinsic nature of men and women. Women are believed to be compassionate, affectionate and loving and these supposedly ‘feminine’ qualities make them the right fit for caring roles. Men, on the other hand are allegedly more sturdy, strong and bold and hence, the ones to deal with the ordeals of the outside world.
Investing in women means many things beyond the obvious meaning of this IWD2024 theme, as the many orgs doing stellar work can show us.
What does it mean to invest in women?
Telling the women in our lives how great we think they are? That we value the sacrifices they have made? (Usually though not necessarily only – a sacrifice of their aspirations, careers and earning potential in order to focus on family).
No, thank you. Just talk is no longer going to cut it. Roses and compliments are great, but it’s time people, leaders, organizations put their money, capital, resources on track instead.
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