Celebrating women beyond a day

Kritika Kanwar

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The whole world will be celebrating Women’s Day on March 8. Women’s clubs will host lavish parties; female colleagues at several workplaces will be placed on a pedestal for a day. Brands will be clamouring with offers to lure women. People will write lengthy posts on their mothers, sisters, grandmothers and every female member in their household and our women politicians will honour underprivileged women by distributing blankets!

Suddenly, years of gender disparity will be dispelled in a day. Does this day hold any real purpose? Have we solved our endemic rape problem? Why is this day important for us, Indians, who have deeply ingrained gender differences in our minds since the beginning of time? Can women reclaim their space by ‘smashing patriarchy’? Women from all walks of life share their take.

Status Quo

With campaigns such as # MeToo and ‘Smash the Patriarchy’ gathering buzz, celebrities have chosen to have conversations that have long been brushed under the carpet. “International Women’s Day grew out of the Labour Movement when in 1908 as many as 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. Not much has changed in over a century. As women, we are still fighting for equal pay and our basic rights. Cases of domestic violence and abuse have increased. A woman still needs the consent of her parents or husband to make her career choice. If we are all born free, why do we need permission to make decisions about our own lives?” asks actor, poet Taranjit Kaur.

Wonder woman within

Actress Ihana Dhillon thinks a successful woman is one who builds foundation with the bricks thrown at her. “We all have a wonder woman inside us. There is no force more powerful than when a woman determines to rise.”

Step up and support

Actor Gagan Anand is all for women power but not gender identity. He says, “I was raised in a house where my mother is the head of the family. She was a teacher all her life and her ideals on gender roles and equality are unparalleled. As a family we celebrate humanity and not gender identity.”

On various hashtags and campaigns, he says men need to respect when a girl says no. “In every intimate relationship, consent is really important. The #MeToo campaign rightfully earned desperados a bad name and I fully support such movements.”

The desired change

The new-age women believe that substantive and sustainable change can be achieved by making this day more inclusive and letting men share their stories of building gender-equal families and workplaces.

Skewed understanding

“Patriarchy does exist but we do not need to blame a gender for being mean to us. Why aren’t we talking about women bullying each other? I have some women at my workplace who just dismiss your input and darken your shine. While I do have male bosses who are more sympathetic and adjusting,” says Takshvi (30), a journalist.

Beyond entitlements

A banker, Monica Jasrotia says, “I believe I do not need a day to remind myself that I am special. Why this sense of entitlement? I am a mother, daughter and a wife. I have so many persons around who count on me.”

Sign of progress

Shreya (29), a software engineer, says, “We can set a precedent by acknowledging all men who have backed us and are more supportive than our female counterparts. My father battled all odds to provide me the freedom to choose my career and life partner while my mother wanted me to marry at a young age.” age.”