A Woman's Day Post

A friend asked me to post something on Women's Day which speaks about the harassments meted out to women on the roads, in public and not so public places.

I promised to do so before the 8th Of March (Women's day) but like the equality of the sexes the post too was late in coming. Not because there wasn’t anything to write but because there was far too much of it.

I wondered what and how shall I write about this oft written about topic that would make it stand out in the clutter of all the articles all of you must have read on the subject especially over the past week. (Writer's vanity you see, one would rather be remembered than forgotten).

Bra burning feminists wrote, men posing as friends of women wrote, men who really are wrote, victims wrote or atleast someone wrote for them, so did those who had won victories major or minor. Politicians wrote, academicians wrote.

What then was left for me to say?

Cite yet another story of watching a woman being whistled at or her dupatta being pulled at on the streets while onlookers look the other way or actually enjoy it as a good time pass?

Or say that I have driven into Nainital and heard a squeal from a group of girls saying "look, look a woman driving a car" and it instead of making me feel proud had made me question which era we lived in that a woman driving is still a spectacle when many have already flown into space.

No I refuse to dwell on these sad, going nowhere thoughts; I would rather focus on what we have achieved.

For example on my way back from a hill station I saw a village woman ride a motorcycle with another riding pillion with a bunch of hay for their cattle. The sight pleased me, it pointed towards a change, a change for the better. One where both sexes are treated equal, their differences celebrated but with their rights as human beings staying inviolate.

Will that happen? When will that happen?

Who will bring across that change? Do we expect the man on the street to suddenly stand up for us? Fight for our rights and dignity? Like the ads in the newspapers say he should.

Come on wake up, No one ever got their rights served to them on a platter, one has to fight for it, grab it and ensure its guarded against all attacks. If we do not fight for our rights why should we expect someone else to do it for us?

And like Iraq if you expect the American forces to come in and "liberate" you. Remember three things that country is yet to find a woman worthy enough to be President so that speaks about the kind of sexual equality they have in mind, secondly Iraq hardly looks and feels liberated and thirdly how much ever you be squeezed you wont release oil.

So there, get up on your feet and fight for yourself. Give back as good as you get and then some.

If you see someone being harassed go and stand by her, remember that parable of the sticks? One stick can be broken easily not so when they are bound up in a bunch.

Girls its time we stood up for ourselves and stopped moaning. Life is beautiful and we have equal rights to it. Let’s live it by our own rules!!!

Happy Woman's Day!