I’m Not The Superwoman You Think I am, But I Am A Super Woman

It seems like everyone desires a dazzling damsel who possesses the magical abilities of a unicorn. How about we reclaim our empowered selves?

In the midst of everyone applauding the brilliant saree-clad women scientists at ISRO for their contribution to the Chandrayaan mission, ‘We’, the rest of the women are still perfecting our juggling act of managing households, spouses, children, in-laws, and a thriving career.

It’s like being the star of a nerve-ending circus, except without applause… or a break!

But hey, who needs a break anyway right? It’s all in a day’s work for the superwomen of the modern era bringing laughter and chaos to the world, one perfectly balanced plate at a time!

Lessons from Bollywood

I recently indulged in a delightful Bollywood flick, where the leading lady suggested that the guy should get a taste of her family while she experiences his before they get married. While this audacious proposal may ruffle some feathers in the realm of traditional families, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer brilliance of the idea.

After all, why should the poor girl be expected to seamlessly blend into her in-laws’ household, while the lucky lad remains a perpetual guest in her abode? Ah, the mysteries of life, my friend! We live in a world where everyone insists that it’s all rainbows and unicorns when it comes to equality in marriages. But, don’t be fooled! It’s one big cosmic joke.

Juggling family politics

Oh boy, that reminds me of my “extended family boot camp” experience! Spending the first year of my marriage under the same roof as my darling mother-in-law and sister-in-law was like a crash course in patience and diplomacy. I had to channel my inner Zen master and become a pro at dodging snarky comments, insults, and sneaky little jabs.

By the end of the whirlwind year, I had given myself a gold medal for patience and endurance! Although I had won the highly coveted Mettle Award at work that year beating fifty thousand employees all over India, I was constantly judged and ridiculed by my in-laws for not being ‘The Quintessential Indian Bahu‘ and not ticking off any of the boxes in their checklist.

In pursuit of the Superwoman tag

It seems like everyone desires a dazzling damsel who possesses the magical abilities of a unicorn – fearlessly tackling a mountain of household chores, magically raking in the big bucks, orchestrating the chaos of running a household, effortlessly dancing around relatives and in-laws and still finding time to babysit her darling husband. And, let’s not forget the occasional accusations of being moody, grumpy, and perpetually exhausted. It’s almost as if we were given a handbook on how to be a superwoman, but it got lost in the plot twist of reality.

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So, how about we just forget trying to please them and focus on doing things that make us happy? Let’s embrace the chaos and do our own thing, my friend. Make sure to spend some time with your girl tribe once in a while, to vent out all your frustration and anger. And then of course, like we always do, let’s just roll our eyes to all the criticism and judgments, and order another drink.

Here’s to all the empowered women out there, juggling it all and still rocking those fabulous pyjamas! Cheers to smashing those gender norms, one drink at a time! 🍹

Waiter… One more Margarita, please!


Image Source: Canva Pro

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About the Author

Shruthi Alva-Shetty

After spending a decade and a half in the IT industry(which felt like an eternity), I decided to break free from the shackles of monotony. A daydreamer, globetrotter, and clueless decision-maker extraordinaire. A read more...

2 Posts | 1,430 Views

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