Well I don't agree with having a
"Women's Day" designated to celebrate our existence. We exist and we
do undeniably. In fact the whole man(?)kind exists because we do.
Women have let themselves be eulogized as
daughters, sisters, wives and mothers and so have let their own self worth go
to the dogs. Before a woman is any of these she is herself; a beautiful creation
of the Almighty who has her own needs, her own preferences, her own desires, her
own views and most importantly her own life.
Yes we exist; as ourselves, for ourselves
and then for others. It is an added responsibility, to be someone’s daughter,
sister, mother, wife or girlfriend. In some cases the role is natural and in
some cases we take it on. Ironically every such role has criteria laid out by
men and thus it is for their satisfaction and fulfillment of only their needs.
They have succeeded in controlling us, overpowering us and bringing us to this
point that we have to assert the mere fact that we exist. We have allowed our
maternal and lovers instinct to overflow and never realized that we are not
asserting ourselves and losing ground.
Even today on Women’s Day we are letting
men praise us for being great sisters, daughter etc. and then women. I protest.
I want to be first the woman that I am, free, independent and self-reliant and
then willingly take up the roles I choose and give them as much as everybody
else in the loop does. Why am I expected to give more? I don’t want to be the
self-effacing, self-depriving Ideal woman. Whose ideals are they anyways?
Who are men to postulate these ideals? Who
gave them this right? Why do they make the rules for us? The answer is because
we have let them. In return of protection from the sexual atrocities that they ‘think’
they can perpetrate on us. They think that because we have let ourselves be
vulnerable and weak. A man can walk in his underwear on national television but
a woman in a bikini is not tolerated even on a beach. A penis doesn’t have to
be virgin but a vagina has to be. A man who beds many women is a stud but such
a woman is a slut. In both cases two consenting adults mate with each other for
sexual satisfaction, neither uses the other so why attach such labels. I refuse
to be called the weaker sex or the other (better or worse) half. I am a
complete entity, comprising a microcosm in myself.
Some simple self-defense techniques, a
sound education, a belief in our own worth as ourselves, a pride in our
sexuality and demystifying virginity is what we need to assert ourselves. I too
want to celebrate today but I want to celebrate the spirit of self-worth first
as an individual not overshadowed by gender. I want to celebrate my love for myself.
I stand for me being a human being first, and as equal as any other human being
on this earth. I stand for someone who is her own self first. Women don’t need
a day dedicated to them, they need to catch everyday by its horns and make the
most of it.
Every day is our day.
