One of my strong, successful, individualist, feminist friends was kind of upset that today is women’s day. Her opinion (and a very strong one at that) is that why do we need a women’s day when there is no men’s day? It’s as if a women’s day gives testimony to the popular thought that women are the weaker sex. Now this is where I tried to curb her aggressiveness and explain what it really is.
I am not aware what the condition of women internationally is. But in India a women’s day is needed. Of course on hearing this, she blew her top once again and it took a lot of my effort to rein her back into orbit. So before you do the same, pray, humor me. This is not a personal comment, ‘In India a women’s day is needed’. It is not directed towards you. You, the strong, individualistic, urban women are a minority in our country. More than 60% of India is still classified as rural. Assuming that the ratio of men to women is at least 1:0.8 there are over 50 crore women in the country leading rural lives. Leading lives at the beck and call of their wife-beating, drunk, cheating and sometimes caring and loving men. This is a day for them. It is a day to empower them. It is a day to celebrate those who have over powered such or worse adversaries to become what they have become today.
This is one perspective. Another alternate perspective is a much simpler, sweeter one. Only if you would not bring in your feminist ego to the table, you would be able to see it clearly. Women are special. And this day is merely to celebrate that special something.
3 comments:
well, agreed that women in (rural) india need empowerment, education and what have you. but does the concept of a women's day speak out to those women? who is the target audience for something as commercial/hallmark-ized this?
if u wud only try to understand that what I'm trying to say is not that rural women 'celebrate' women's day...I'm trying to say that it's celebrated for women with such spirit...rural women are merely an example...
i LOOVeeee this friend you mention in your blog. I think she's smart, quick witted, awesome and...amazing and....awesome.I think we should all celebrate her existence.
Come on everyone. Hail Nikunj Bhaiya's awesome friend!
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