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On 8th March 2014, International Women's Day, we look at ways to pay it forward for other women we know, as well as all women. Plus, a Pay It Forward blogathon.
On 8th March 2014, International Women’s Day, let us look at some ways to pay it forward for other women we know, as well as all women. Plus, a Pay It Forward blogathon.
While International Women’s Day today has come to mean a whole lot of fun activities and offers for women, the roots of the day actually lie in American women working in factories – who agitated for better pay and working conditions.
To me, one of the best things about having an annual Women’s Day is that it makes you think of women in the collective, not just each of us as individuals. That’s important because there are some challenges common to all of us, even as there are some challenges unique to some of us because of things like our economic condition, or caste, or even where we live.
Thinking about women as a group is a chance not only to acknowledge our common challenges but also to recognize the value of other women in our lives, and women before us whose work has impacted our lives.
Your grandmother who fought with her family to go to school, and paved the way for every girl to get an education. The activists who challenged the judiciary to acknowledge that a woman’s past sexual history did not matter to determine if she had been assaulted or raped. Those who fought to change the laws on women’s right to property. Your mother who told you that you could be anything you want to be. Your best friend who tells you that its alright to cry, and crying is not a ‘feminine weakness’ you need to be ashamed of.
We stand on the shoulders of many women, and International Women’s Day is a time to acknowledge them, and also to pay it forward. To think of the small and big things each one of us can do to make life better for other women.
Pick a cause, and stick to it: Pick a cause that tugs at your heart. Maternal health and mortality. Support for acid attack victims. Girls’ education. There is no dearth of causes in India, but there is a shortage of consistent supporters. Pick your cause, find an organization you can trust and every March 8th, make your donation for the year. Do this year after year after year. If enough of us do this, good people working for change will have others to count on.
Speak up: As often as you can. When you hear everyday sexist banter, when you hear people assuming that a woman has made it at work because of her looks, when you hear someone say that a rape victim deserved it because of her clothes. Speaking up makes a difference, since sexist people no longer have the comfort of knowing that listeners will be silent.
Appreciate a woman: Take the time to explicitly tell a friend, sister, mother, lover, daughter, mentor, colleague – what her presence and support mean to you. Words of gratitude and encouragement make a lot of difference.
I’d like to end with an interesting activity for all of you who blog. Between today and April 8th, (a whole month of paying it forward!) write your own Pay It Forward post.
a) Talk about how you would like to pay it forward for other women, and how you are paying it forward (if you are!)
b) Give a female blogger who has inspired you this badge, and tag her, to tell her you appreciate her writing, and that it has made a difference to you.
Use this code to pick up the badge for your blog (and copy-paste it into the html section of your blog editor):
<a href="http://www.womensweb.in/articles/womens-day-pay-it-forward-blogathon/" target="_blank"><img alt="Pay It Forward" src="http://www.womensweb.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/pay-it-forward-blogathon.png"/>
Leave your post URL here in the comments section, and on April 9th/10th 11th, I will be picking my top 5 posts to receive a Women’s Web t-shirt (premium collared) and cap with our new logo that we have launch today with the brand new website. (Update: That means, I’ll be considering posts submitted by end of day, 10th April)
Thank you all so much for taking time out to honour all the incredible women who’ve made a difference to your lives. It was lovely reading all the posts that came in, and I blushed to read the ones that mentioned me 🙂
Here are my top 5, and I’ll be contacting you soon!
Posts here:
Pooja Sharma Rao: My voice is my feminism
Sangeeta: Two Women
Sandhya: The friend whom I almost didn’t make!
Nivedita: From a girl to a woman
Neelam Dadhwal: Enlightened Journey
Pic of hands credit Care SMC (Used und
er a Creative Commons license)
Founder & Chief Editor of Women's Web, Aparna believes in the power of ideas and conversations to create change. She has been writing since she was ten. In another life, she used to be read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, indivisual posts do not necessarily represent the platofrom's views and opinions at all times.
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Neelu might have outwardly forgiven Ramesh, but in her mind, which once was filled with unconditional love for Ramesh, there was now a seed of resentment.
Ramesh’s footsteps paused at the entrance of the hotel’s ballroom. Inside, his school’s reunion party was going in full swing. The air was heavy, as expensive perfumes and the aroma of food from the buffet table, mingled. There were low murmurs, tinkling laughs and clinks of cutlery.
Ramesh had not wanted to come, knowing that she would be there. She, Neelu, who once had been the love of his life. Taking a deep breath, Ramesh entered the room. His eyes found Neelu almost immediately. She still looked the same. Maybe there was now grey in her hair and a few wrinkles on her face. But her vivacity, her mannerisms were still the same. Things, that had first attracted him.
Arathi Rajagopalan, founder of 'House of Kalart', talks about thinking like a designer & transitioning to thinking like a business owner.
Excerpts from an interview with Arathi Rajagopalan, founder of ‘House of Kalart’ – a fusion jewellery label that merges global aesthetics and traditional craftsmanship.
When did you start ‘House of Kalart’ and what was the intention?
I started House of Kalart in 2017 as a venture where painting, drawing and embroidery are married with metalsmithing to create well-handcrafted fashion jewellery. Along with painting and styling, the venture aims to create a holistic fashion experience for a bold and dramatic woman!” As a child, I had always been fascinated by arts and crafts.
Celebrating 2 years of running Women’s Web, the community for Indian women who like interesting reads relevant to real lives – plus, a giveaway!
By Aparna V. Singh and Anne John
On 14th April 2010, Women’s Web got off to a very small start. A creaky sort of website was finally finished, a couple of articles were put up and word was sent out to friends and family – that we had launched!
Unbound: Indian women at work by Gita Aravamudan looks at working women in India - their challenges and how they're changing workplaces
Unbound: Indian women at work by Gita Aravamudan looks at working women in India – their challenges and how they’re changing workplaces.
By Aparna V. Singh
Gita Aravamudan started her journalistic career in the 1960s when female journalists were still not common in India. Since then, her writing has been wide-ranging – from fiction to critiques on cinema. Of special interest to us, is her extensive writing on gender and women’s issues. In 2007, Penguin published her Disappearing Daughters, on female foeticide in India – a book that was received very well by readers and generated much discussion on the subject.