Women, now, then and forever.

The sun rises in the east isn’t it? Do we ever debate and question about this? I take it for granted that the reader is a normal person and not high while he/she is reading and hence, the answer to the above two questions are, Yes and No, respectively. So the point being, since it is FACT that the sun rises in the east, it is never debated over, unless the ever so debatable topic, ‘are men and women equal’. The fact that it is discussed and debated over, stands as the testimony to the fact, that they aren’t. Okay, so all the feminists might look at the remark over with raised eye brows, well my dearies, I firmly believe that men and women are not equal, but that does not necessarily mean the one is superior or inferior to the other. Point made? The fact that they are not equal makes them different, but well of course, they deserve equal rights because we are all humans. True :)

One more thing that I want to highlight here is, women do not need special privileges, special rights. Just because we are different and mostly weaker than the men physical strength wise on an average, does not make it a compulsion for us to be treated like wax dolls. We truly do appreciate all the chivalry and love that we get, thank you world, but we certainly we do not need the sympathy that we get at times, for being women. ‘Sympathy is painful’, my senior says and I cannot agree more. I remember how few relatives and family friends of mine gave sympathy to my Mom when my sister was born because of the birth of another daughter, how some of them said they can share few of the troubles that daughter birth will bring, THAT kind of sympathy, we need not. Neither do we need the reservations, to be very honest. We are independent ‘now’ as the initial agenda of the write-up was and since we have all the opportunities, cut the reservation off, reservation is the biggest form of discrimination I believe.  

Talking about women “then, now forever”, the ‘then’ when the Grandmother made sure the fields are ploughed and the children (three daughters mind you) get proper education or the ‘then’ when the mother dared to leave the children in the crèche (two daughters mind you) without listening to the nasty remarks of the world, for work? The ‘now’ when you still carry sanitary napkins in a black plastic because they would stare at you like you’re carrying bomb or the ‘now’ when you would arrange for your own ‘dowry’ because although you are independent, you are girl after all. Reverse progress is it? Or is it the way we want to see, we want to be, irrespective of which age or stage you are in.

Of course we will have fairness cream ads where the groom will reject the girl because of the color, irrespective of how repulsive he looks. Of course the wife will wash the clothes in the washing powder ad even if she is the top model. Of course the fellow passenger will look around when you’re travelling alone and then ‘accidently’ brush his hand over your breasts. Of course your co-workers will give you dirty looks when the boss would praise you over your male colleague. Of course roadside Romeos will ogle at your legs no matter where you are. Of course the only man you have ever loved will leave you one day without any explanation and hold the hand of prettier options. Of course the relatives will judge you if you are 27 or 47 and not married. Of course the society will not understand that your daughter is your daughter even if you have not given birth to her. Of course the in laws will object when you help your parents financially even after wedding. Of course the husband will not understand why you need help with the household chores.

Then, now, forever!

Being a woman is not easy you see?

I remember this Mumbai group posting photos and write ups with hashtag why loiter for obvious reasons and I tried doing the same. It was the same night when I was hooted at by a gang of 20 boys and well, when you have 20:1 ratio, all the heroism behind the write-ups vanish, and there is no shame in acceptance. The long forgotten topic, women, then, now, forever.

The women then were strong, were beautiful, were important. The women now are as strong, beautiful and important. The only difference being, now they have a bigger platform to voice, to express. Take it up ladies, you are forever and always, what you want to be, what you have always been, the creator, the prettiness, and the zeal that keeps everything else together. As the lovely mother who loves, as the chirpy sister to cares, as the silent girlfriend who waits, as the beautiful mistress who takes, as the optimistic friend who encourages, as the seductive muse who inspires, as the 'you' who is just so perfect.

Happy existing, ladies, minus one :)