I wrote a few posts dealing with the situation of women in our society (with a special focus on Indian society) and also about the effect or contribution of various religions or scriptures towards the secondary treatment of women in this world. Attempts to give women equal rights, to prove that they are equal to men have been going on for many centuries. I am not the first or the last person to talk about this issue, many men, women, and organizations are involved in this moment of gender equality. Very often I used to wonder why many of these women who are subject to this prejudice and injustice don't feel that something wrong is going on and resist it? Why after so many years of work still the situation is not very different in some parts of the world. Why still it is expected that women should behave like women (and we all know what this line means)?
When I talk with women around me (including women from my family) I see that they believe that women have certain 'defined roles' to play in society or family and there are certain things that are forbidden to them and they are not supposed to venture into those areas because it's not for them. These women resist, criticize and even attack other women who are trying to break these boundaries and enter into that forbidden land. I wonder if this is the case where after living in the cage for centuries the bird starts loving the cage, feels safe inside the cage, and starts thinking it belongs to that cage and the world outside the cage is not for him/her and because of this mentality scared to come out of it. Many of these women are very comfortable in their world, they don't even think that society or their own family is treating them unfairly, they totally believe that women should be treated in this way only. Few kind words or even nominal respect is enough for that woman to forget all her pain or insult and work again with all dedication for the same man or family who mistreated, insulted, or even beat her. The bird loves her cage so much that she is going to pay any price to remain in that cage because she thinks that there is no other place for her other than that cage.
This is the result of suppression for centuries, male-dominated society always treated women like physical objects. Propaganda by many religions and their books about women and their role in society also didn't help women. Religion made women sacred but not equal to men. Many religions and scriptures that consider 'moksha' or liberation from this cycle of birth and death as the ultimate goal of human life consider women as a major obstacle for men in achieving that goal. I don't know what is the logic for this. Why it's not the other way? All major religions of the world don't treat women very kindly, still they all have many dedicated women devotees. I wonder if any of these women loving their cage think about this or not, the situation won't change until these women start asking these questions whenever they read or hear anything discriminating against their gender anywhere. They should question any theory or hypothesis (no matter from which religion or culture) that discriminates against them based on their gender. Many feminist movements that have been going on for centuries are important and are playing their role in making things better for women, trying to empower them but what I feel lacking is the role these suffering women should play in this war. If these women start asking these questions, and confront these issues whenever they face them this will make the task of these movements comparatively easy. If even after all these movements and attempts to make them aware of their rights many women are not willing to fight their own battle, this makes me think that somehow they are comfortable with their situation in society and don't want to change, that means they are scared to come out of that cage or they started loving it.
Only women themselves can solve this problem, no one can force them to come out of that cage and fight, if they are not willing to fight then the battle will be surely lost. It's wrong to force someone to fight if he/she is not willing to do it. They should realize that it's not about hurting their family or against any culture or they should not worry about what people will say about them if they rebel but it's all about their self-respect and rights. They can choose which way they want to fight but they should fight, these things are not going to change on their own. For centuries these efforts and movements have been going on but still, a lot of work needs to be done and the major reason for this situation is the lack of full cooperation from women. If the bird in a cage wants to fly in the free sky first it should have the desire to come out of its cage and make efforts to open the closed door, until it does that the cage is not going to disappear on its own. I am waiting when the bird will start fighting its own battle rather than waiting for someone else to rescue it. If it fights its own battle then only it can make itself totally free. Only women have the power to make themselves free, in most countries, enough help and encouragement are available now they have to step up. I hope after a few years from now I or no one has to write about women's suppression and their condition in society, I hope that this bird will stop loving its cage and come out of it and start flying.
Thanks for reading and please share your views on this topic.
When I talk with women around me (including women from my family) I see that they believe that women have certain 'defined roles' to play in society or family and there are certain things that are forbidden to them and they are not supposed to venture into those areas because it's not for them. These women resist, criticize and even attack other women who are trying to break these boundaries and enter into that forbidden land. I wonder if this is the case where after living in the cage for centuries the bird starts loving the cage, feels safe inside the cage, and starts thinking it belongs to that cage and the world outside the cage is not for him/her and because of this mentality scared to come out of it. Many of these women are very comfortable in their world, they don't even think that society or their own family is treating them unfairly, they totally believe that women should be treated in this way only. Few kind words or even nominal respect is enough for that woman to forget all her pain or insult and work again with all dedication for the same man or family who mistreated, insulted, or even beat her. The bird loves her cage so much that she is going to pay any price to remain in that cage because she thinks that there is no other place for her other than that cage.
This is the result of suppression for centuries, male-dominated society always treated women like physical objects. Propaganda by many religions and their books about women and their role in society also didn't help women. Religion made women sacred but not equal to men. Many religions and scriptures that consider 'moksha' or liberation from this cycle of birth and death as the ultimate goal of human life consider women as a major obstacle for men in achieving that goal. I don't know what is the logic for this. Why it's not the other way? All major religions of the world don't treat women very kindly, still they all have many dedicated women devotees. I wonder if any of these women loving their cage think about this or not, the situation won't change until these women start asking these questions whenever they read or hear anything discriminating against their gender anywhere. They should question any theory or hypothesis (no matter from which religion or culture) that discriminates against them based on their gender. Many feminist movements that have been going on for centuries are important and are playing their role in making things better for women, trying to empower them but what I feel lacking is the role these suffering women should play in this war. If these women start asking these questions, and confront these issues whenever they face them this will make the task of these movements comparatively easy. If even after all these movements and attempts to make them aware of their rights many women are not willing to fight their own battle, this makes me think that somehow they are comfortable with their situation in society and don't want to change, that means they are scared to come out of that cage or they started loving it.
Only women themselves can solve this problem, no one can force them to come out of that cage and fight, if they are not willing to fight then the battle will be surely lost. It's wrong to force someone to fight if he/she is not willing to do it. They should realize that it's not about hurting their family or against any culture or they should not worry about what people will say about them if they rebel but it's all about their self-respect and rights. They can choose which way they want to fight but they should fight, these things are not going to change on their own. For centuries these efforts and movements have been going on but still, a lot of work needs to be done and the major reason for this situation is the lack of full cooperation from women. If the bird in a cage wants to fly in the free sky first it should have the desire to come out of its cage and make efforts to open the closed door, until it does that the cage is not going to disappear on its own. I am waiting when the bird will start fighting its own battle rather than waiting for someone else to rescue it. If it fights its own battle then only it can make itself totally free. Only women have the power to make themselves free, in most countries, enough help and encouragement are available now they have to step up. I hope after a few years from now I or no one has to write about women's suppression and their condition in society, I hope that this bird will stop loving its cage and come out of it and start flying.
Thanks for reading and please share your views on this topic.
(Copyright: Vinay Thakur. Please contact the author for re-posting or publishing)
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