Congratulations! What started as a day to actually bring about a change has now been successfully reduced to yet another Hallmark occasion. Buy the woman a gift and celebrate #WomensDay today. From tomorrow onwards you can go back to cajoling her to quit that job, to get married to a guy of the same caste, to bear another child, to not report domestic violence, to get some dowry, to abort her girl-child, to wear what you think is appropriate, to teach her how to not get raped and everything else that this country does to it’s women. But, don’t forget to buy her a gift today.
Now, that we have made a mockery out of International Women’s Day with the help of all these brands jumping in to reap the benefits and escalate their profits, isn’t it time to re-think what are we celebrating? While these brands lure us towards their stores with additional discounts ,freebies, and inspire the men in our lives to pamper us, there is yet another unborn child being killed because of her gender, there is yet another woman being burnt for dowry and yet another one being raped. What about these women who have never been celebrated? Isn’t the essence of Women’s Day ruined by not even bothering about these women? Or is it only about the few who can give the biggies yet another chance to mint money out of a false and hollow propaganda?
I refuse to celebrate this day, or to accept anything in the name of International Women’s Day. Not unless we, as a country start behaving and accept our women as only human. Not until we want women to be goddesses of sacrifice for the people in their lives. Not until we continue killing unborn baby girls. Not until there is discrimination because she’s a woman. And that list really is endless.
Since time immemorial I have been seeing all the hoopla over celebrating women. But, in reality I see the situation only getting worse. While the PM went gaga over #BetiBachao, did we see any real change in numbers? Or was it just another PR stunt to capitalize the emotions of the not so innocent girl child killing junta. And then the next one, #SelfieWithDaughter remained just as useless as a selfie.
Sex ratio in Haryana continues to be as skewed as always. People of the state decide to rape women stranded on their roads during the time when Haryana burned with riots and destruction. Jyoti Singh Pandey’s rapists are still enjoying free meals and one even got out in just three years. Rajasthan married off a two year old bride a few days ago. Chhattisgarh didn’t spare a tribal woman activist who was fighting for the development of downtrodden women and their right to education. An actress was harassed on TV because she was once a porn-star. An old woman was named a witch and paraded in Bihar, with her face blackened. In Punjab, a woman was shot because she resisted an attempt to molest her. I don’t even want to dig in further, because this is depressing enough.
So, No Women’s Day For me. Not unless India understands that it’s women are human too. And that’s not happening in my lifetime.
Sad it is that we have not been able to treat women with the dignity they derserve!
Even a lifetime isn’t enough to see the change I so desperately want to see. 🙁
Hey Akanksha! I’ve been ranting about this subject since the past few years, as to how Women’s Day is just a farce – something that’s just a trending hashtag and nothing more. This year, I thought it’s pointless to put it up, cos people seem to think I’m unnecessarily making an issue out of it – that I should be grateful or something that at least they’re celebrating! Glad to have found your post. At least now I know I’m not the only one who feels this.
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