Women's Day - an eyewash |
Author : Karm Chawla | on 12th Mar 2009
Why is it that men don't have a day dedicated to themselves? Are we so unworthy? Most of my feminist friends are probably waiting to get me by the throat. Yet there seems to be an absurdity in the fact that there is only a celebration of women as a step towards equality.
Women's Day is meant to make the women realize the significance of their role in society but once the day is over, they have to again fit into their roles in the patriarchal set up. It is like in the olden days, there would be designated days when people from the lower castes were not only permitted into temples but also worshiped by the upper castes, only to go back to being exploited once the festivities were over.
I just struggle to understand the logic behind merely having these "special" days of celebration rather than actual action towards improving the plight of women. Even today, women need to be beaten in Mangalore for the nation to debate the issue of women's rights for only a few days. A rape in Maulana Azad College wrecked such havoc when women are raped every second minute is Delhi's red light area just a few kilometers away.
I have a problem when the women of our nation decide to send Pink Chaddis as a sign of protest and call themselves loose as they decide to party on Valentines Day. The only thing it does make an easily forgotten statement. All it does is make a mockery of a very serious issue. The Pink Chaddi Campaign was really the biggest joke. Sending underwear to a minister and who in returns sends mangal sutras doesn't accomplish anything.
There is a scar on my left cheek that reminds me of the many bombings in our country in the last year. And sadly I know that there will be many more. All we're doing about it is blaming and hating. No one's getting to the root cause probably because it takes too much of an effort. Before looking into gender differences, we need to examine humanity as a whole. We don't need special days to remind us about what's important in life. The scars on our cheeks should do the job.
Women's Day is meant to make the women realize the significance of their role in society but once the day is over, they have to again fit into their roles in the patriarchal set up. It is like in the olden days, there would be designated days when people from the lower castes were not only permitted into temples but also worshiped by the upper castes, only to go back to being exploited once the festivities were over.
I just struggle to understand the logic behind merely having these "special" days of celebration rather than actual action towards improving the plight of women. Even today, women need to be beaten in Mangalore for the nation to debate the issue of women's rights for only a few days. A rape in Maulana Azad College wrecked such havoc when women are raped every second minute is Delhi's red light area just a few kilometers away.
I have a problem when the women of our nation decide to send Pink Chaddis as a sign of protest and call themselves loose as they decide to party on Valentines Day. The only thing it does make an easily forgotten statement. All it does is make a mockery of a very serious issue. The Pink Chaddi Campaign was really the biggest joke. Sending underwear to a minister and who in returns sends mangal sutras doesn't accomplish anything.
There is a scar on my left cheek that reminds me of the many bombings in our country in the last year. And sadly I know that there will be many more. All we're doing about it is blaming and hating. No one's getting to the root cause probably because it takes too much of an effort. Before looking into gender differences, we need to examine humanity as a whole. We don't need special days to remind us about what's important in life. The scars on our cheeks should do the job.
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