Women are also humans. Aren't they? I think sometimes many of us forget that and start offering them unsolicited advice. People start reminding them about their own greatness, about the duties and qualities they should possess as a part of their womanhood (like kindness, compassion, forgiveness). People start saying they need to be pious and this and that, but forget the basic fact that they are also humans just like men. Women also have some good and bad qualities like men, they are not very different, they have the same basic needs and must be given the same rights and freedom. Nothing more, nothing less.
Some time back I read one poem written by a woman student in Delhi which was quoted by Hilary Clinton in one of her speeches in India, "When a woman gives her love, as most do generously, it is accepted. When a woman shares her thoughts, as some women do, graciously, it is allowed. When a woman fights for power, as all women would like to do, quietly or loudly, it is questioned. Yes, there must be freedom, if we are to speak. And yes, there must be power, if we are to be heard. And when we have both, let us not be misunderstood." As long as women are kind, submissive, supportive, and do what everyone supposes them to do, everything is fine, the time they ask for their rights and exercise them, there is a problem. They are accused of overstepping their limits. Very recently I read a post about one foreign student's horrible experience with sexual harassment in India. The post was very heart-wrenching and disturbing. I fail to understand why some people always look at women as physical objects? Why can't they consider them just as another person like them? A person who deserves equal respect and dignified treatment which they expect for themselves.
How many more horrific examples like this do we need to show that there is some kind of sickness present in society when women are treated like this? And let me make one thing very clear here, I am not just talking about India, it's very sad these things happen in a country where female goddesses are worshiped, but this problem more or less persists everywhere. I agree that this is a major problem in India. Eve teasing is one such issue many women and girls have to face every day. But just because I shared the link where a victim shared her horrible experience in India it should not give an impression to readers that these types of things happen only in India, in fact, they happen all over the world, every society is facing this problem.
I think one of the reasons this is still happening is because many men and even some women are still not willing to accept the equal status of women in society. They still look at them just as objects to satisfy their sexual desires and other needs, nothing more. Men think that women are not equal to them just because they are physically weak compared to them, many proponents of patriarchy always cite this difference to show inequality between two genders. They still believe that mere physical strength gives men a fundamental right to dominate women in all areas and call them the weaker sex. They still want to believe that women are less capable compared to them, even though there are ample examples around us to prove that this is far from the truth. I always wonder how hard it can be to understand the simple fact that women deserve equal respect and rights. Women have already proven their strength and capabilities in all areas beyond any doubt wherever they had opportunities. They successfully challenged restrictions forcibly enforced on them by society and culture which thought they were fit only for particular jobs. It seems the demand for equality from women is a bit too much to handle for some people, they can't imagine women breaking free of the shackles put on them by patriarchy and misogyny and flying high. These people expect men and women to behave only in a particular way. They fail to understand that both are humans with equal rights and responsibilities, more importantly, they forget that women are also humans with needs and desires. Women deserve equal status and opportunities in society, nothing more or less but equal. I don't think this is an unreasonable demand at all, today or tomorrow everyone in our society has to agree to this, whether they like it or not this is going to happen.
Some time back I read one poem written by a woman student in Delhi which was quoted by Hilary Clinton in one of her speeches in India, "When a woman gives her love, as most do generously, it is accepted. When a woman shares her thoughts, as some women do, graciously, it is allowed. When a woman fights for power, as all women would like to do, quietly or loudly, it is questioned. Yes, there must be freedom, if we are to speak. And yes, there must be power, if we are to be heard. And when we have both, let us not be misunderstood." As long as women are kind, submissive, supportive, and do what everyone supposes them to do, everything is fine, the time they ask for their rights and exercise them, there is a problem. They are accused of overstepping their limits. Very recently I read a post about one foreign student's horrible experience with sexual harassment in India. The post was very heart-wrenching and disturbing. I fail to understand why some people always look at women as physical objects? Why can't they consider them just as another person like them? A person who deserves equal respect and dignified treatment which they expect for themselves.
How many more horrific examples like this do we need to show that there is some kind of sickness present in society when women are treated like this? And let me make one thing very clear here, I am not just talking about India, it's very sad these things happen in a country where female goddesses are worshiped, but this problem more or less persists everywhere. I agree that this is a major problem in India. Eve teasing is one such issue many women and girls have to face every day. But just because I shared the link where a victim shared her horrible experience in India it should not give an impression to readers that these types of things happen only in India, in fact, they happen all over the world, every society is facing this problem.
I think one of the reasons this is still happening is because many men and even some women are still not willing to accept the equal status of women in society. They still look at them just as objects to satisfy their sexual desires and other needs, nothing more. Men think that women are not equal to them just because they are physically weak compared to them, many proponents of patriarchy always cite this difference to show inequality between two genders. They still believe that mere physical strength gives men a fundamental right to dominate women in all areas and call them the weaker sex. They still want to believe that women are less capable compared to them, even though there are ample examples around us to prove that this is far from the truth. I always wonder how hard it can be to understand the simple fact that women deserve equal respect and rights. Women have already proven their strength and capabilities in all areas beyond any doubt wherever they had opportunities. They successfully challenged restrictions forcibly enforced on them by society and culture which thought they were fit only for particular jobs. It seems the demand for equality from women is a bit too much to handle for some people, they can't imagine women breaking free of the shackles put on them by patriarchy and misogyny and flying high. These people expect men and women to behave only in a particular way. They fail to understand that both are humans with equal rights and responsibilities, more importantly, they forget that women are also humans with needs and desires. Women deserve equal status and opportunities in society, nothing more or less but equal. I don't think this is an unreasonable demand at all, today or tomorrow everyone in our society has to agree to this, whether they like it or not this is going to happen.
Thanks for reading and please share your views on this topic.
Links:
1. India: the Story You Never Wanted to Hear
2. To an American girl, an apology from India
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_teasing
4. India & A Blonde Tourist: An alternate account
5. Manal al-Sharif: A Saudi woman who dared to drive
Links:
1. India: the Story You Never Wanted to Hear
2. To an American girl, an apology from India
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_teasing
4. India & A Blonde Tourist: An alternate account
5. Manal al-Sharif: A Saudi woman who dared to drive
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