Another Women’s Day Another Round Of Wishes — But They Mean Nothing Until…

I’m tired. Tired of the wishes I read on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere. Tired of how numb we have become to women’s issues and reduced it to a day where you send all the females you know paltry wishes, that heart-touching quote or that generic women-carry-men-for-nine-months crap and next day as night makes way for morning, we are all done with our drill. Back to normal. The real issues of how they are treated inside the four walls of their homes, how disproportionately they are paid at work, ways in which they are treated at workplace or outside, all things have found their permanent place in women’s day speeches (which I heard one in the afternoon) but come next day, we all cocoon back to being ‘normal’.

Domestic violence is commonplace in India. But how many do speak out? Forget about other homes, how many of us speak at our own homes for violence, abuse and misogyny? This numbness is not just confined to men but women as well. Most of them have taken the misogyny and patriarchal ways for ‘normalcy’. Their brains are wired in a way from age old societal practice to adjust to all this. So in a way, the first step to gender equality should come from women themselves. They should not take anyone’s view of how they should live, what they should say and what not from the society.

Dear Women, Enough is enough. First, Break your souls free from the shackles you’ve built around your grit. Your body is not weak, you are not weaker sex, you are not born weak, you are not who society tells you to be. You are what you think yourself to be. You are all powerful, you are why men stand on this planet, you are the reason why this world exists. Break free. Break free.

And for all others…

You can wish everyday the women around, a Happy Women’s Day but until you share her ‘unwaged’ work and contribute towards Gender Equality in true regards and not just pay lip service, you don’t really mean any of the big words. They are all hollow. So if you mean them then start at home — share the work your mother, sister and wife perform. God (if he does exist), didn’t create them to wash your clothes and cook your food. Don’t take women for granted. If measures of mankind are any marker then women are greater if not equal than men.

Happy Women’s Day to all the women out there. Thanks for being there.