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Gender equality should be a given - no one is better or lesser than the other. Women should give no one else the power to consider them inferior!
Gender equality should be a given – no one is better or lesser than the other. Women should give no one else the power to consider them inferior!
Being a woman or a man is not a matter of choice but it is what we are born with and along comes its various manifestations. Apart from the biological variations there is nothing to be considered different about them as human beings.
Despite that women are strait-jacketed into the picture of what they are supposed to be, something society has dictated throughout history. We have always been nurtured in a ‘protected’ environment since the day we open our eyes. That extra concern makes us feel so conscious about ourselves and fosters dependence, so maybe we should not be blamed for it – because this what we have been made to feel all our life.
Women are given special reservations everywhere by considering them a weaker section of society, for example; a reserved bus seat; separate queues; reservation in institutions and jobs opportunities etc. We tend to develop a habit of availing all the facilities without giving it a second thought – do we really need them or can we survive even without them? Why do we think we need to be treated as some extinct species that requires to be preserved and given extra leverages to sustain?
We try to look confident outside but within us it is a battle that we are fighting to prove that we are equal to men, to make our stand count with this thought in our mind: “what is it in a man that would give him an edge over us?” But, why don’t men think the same about women? I have never seen a man struggling to prove that he can do what all women can do. Why? Because this society is male dominant and their status is superior to us? Whereas on the other hand women are weak and should expect others to be generous to her? Who created this thought? Society? Who makes the society? It is YOU and I, and believe me, more than men it’s us who have subconsciously felt so and created and propagated this thought.
And what do men think about us? Do they think, “she is a woman with no talent and she will use her tantrums and privileges to get all her things done”? At times when people are evaluated at work, some people might think that since she is a women therefore she got the hike or the promotion! Nobody bothers to look at the hard work she had put in.
Is womanhood all about these superfluous things? To be portrayed as weak, and strong on conveniences? We are considered weak, and unsafe when it comes to going out at late hours but strong enough when it comes to take charge of a household and bear a child. We tend to let go of things said to us because at the end of the day we take the easy way out.
When we are born it is said, “ghar me Laxmi ayi hai!” So how exactly does that make us weak? There is nothing about us to be looked down upon and there is nobody from whom we need any approval! Women have excelled in every field; be it sports, the corporate sector, media, education etc. – there is nothing a woman can’t do.
I am not concerned about what the society thinks and has to say about our potential and our roles. My concern is what we think of ourselves and our capabilities. Forget what we are taught; scrutinize what we could do. It is a fact that all the successful ladies of our society are the one who have thought out of the box and fought against all odds and not just relied upon any favours.
Before trying to prove anything to others or to society, shouldn’t we first look into the mirror and talk to ourselves, and understand our own worth and focus on our strengths rather than convincing the society to upgrade us? Earn your opportunities – do not portray a woman as weak and be judgemental about the other woman’s decisions because women like you and I make the society. If we feel weak and demand rights we feed the society the same.
I am not saying that everything will change with a blink of an eye but it would be the first step. Every woman is unique with her own challenges and the more you know about yourself the more enlightened you become.
We are equal to men, not above them or less than them. Men and women are two opposite sexes created for mankind, with no special wings to anyone. Both need one another, they can’t survive without us nor can we survive without them.
So next time if you face a situation where you are asked to sit back if they think you could not handle it, show them that you can! Never give anyone else, and more importantly yourself a chance to think of you as a “poor girl”.
Always remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
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Optimistic, care free, keen observer and feminist. Enjoy traveling, dancing, painting, movies and music. Pets and nature excites me. Love to express through words. read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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