Exhibit A - Kareena Kapoor Khan recently is in (self admittedly) the most happiest phase of her life. She recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Besides the atrocious and disgusting uncalled for controversy regarding her baby's name (which deserves a separate angry blog topic), now people seem to be targeting her weight! Any pictures from her recent events that I have seen, people are complaining about her weight and looks! To the spineless, nameless, faceless trolls I wanna say this - She just gave birth you morons! She carried another human being, do your tiny brains get that!! And she is as "fat" or unfit as your mother once was before she pushed you, a sorry excuse for a human being, out! If not about her weight, then people are busy criticizing how quickly she has gotten back to work! Really now?? She is being accused of being hungry for limelight or desperate for attention/ work! And the saddest part is that most of these comments are coming from women - of all the people who should especially understand and support her! Firstly, her body, her choice. Simple as that. Secondly - Newsflash- None of your business! If she feels like going back to work who the hell are you? Her doctor? There are women who work as maids or even in offices, far away from the Bollywood limelight and they get back to work as quickly as Kareena did but they don't get any flak at all. Nor should they. A woman wants to go to work immediately after birth or a year after giving birth, it IS and should be her choice. Let her be. Respect it.
Exhibit B - Anushka Sharma turns producer. The unfunny "joke" doing the rounds is that Virat Kohli has indeed pumped money in her project and she is just lending her name to it. How insulting is that? Her hard earned money, her vision, her risk taking, her absolute hard work on camera, as well as off it! And then to hear this. A highly irresponsible statement implying women aren't smart enough to envision great careers for themselves, do something path breaking and game changing, nor do they have the courage or finances to make their lofty dreams into a tangible reality at such a young age, unless of course a famous/ rich boyfriend/ husband backs her. Pathetic. Great job setting the scene for your future daughters and grand daughters.
Interfering in every decision or choice of women. Why? Are we unable to take our own decisions? Right from your dress choices (its either that you should wear clothes to please men's sensibilities or else you provoke them, isn't it?) to how you choose to express yourself or live your life. I met two men this week and the stench of misogyny and illiteracy wafted from all their half cooked notions, perspectives and their expectations of women and a women's "place and role" that they have conveniently laid down for us to follow. How thoughtful! I realized how deep this problem is. Its how you view women - Like some "abla naari" who needs guidance and protection all the time. Yes, presently we do need laws that protect us both physically and materially from anti social elements and thanks to the fucked up world that has been created for us. But how does one change it? 2 Steps. Education. And Practical Application.
And this education regarding the equality of women is NEEDED at grass root levels. The environment where anti social elements are bred and readied. Look around for few yet practical examples, ask yourself and then teach your kids - Can a woman educate herself and fly a space shuttle to space? Yes. Despite her natural frame can she train hard and be a body builder, a boxer or a weight lifting champion on the global platform? Yes. Can she take care of her family and/ or run the biggest of organizations in the world? Yes. Is she competent enough to lead governments and countries with billions of people? Yes. Look around, in every field, women are equal to men.
Dear Women, don't put a wrench in the movement that will ultimately benefit you and your daughters by judging other women simply because they don't follow rules set down by a highly prejudiced society that you have been following without reflection or awareness. Become another women's strength, not her worst enemy, she already has many other battles to fight. Don't pull another brave woman who ditches traditions or walks a path different from yours, down.
Teach kids how female and male are and should be equally treated, beginning right at home. Unless you practice what you preach all education is just empty fancy words.
A Hundred years ago on this day, a Women's day demonstartion in Petrograd sparked the Russian Revolution. A hundred years later are we still battling painful disparities, glaring discriminations and stifling stereotypes? Yes. sadly, it is still a long way to go but change begins with an individual. You dedicated a day to us, aww sweet! But please go beyond the trappings of tokenism. From our apparently "first world problems" to very deep and disturbing issues like rape and domestic violence, fight for and be the voice of change, even if it is just your home or neighborhood. Let women be. Let them enjoy their one precious life in an environment that is not judging or criticizing them so harshly and which is safe, co-operative, equal and encouraging for her to truly express her true self and shine brightly, fearlessly. Then it will truly be a Happy Women's Day - Everyday.
Pictures courtesy Google images.
