WriteFluence

With all the talk on feminism recently, we’ve had some good coming out of the conversations around the topic but we’ve also had even more misunderstanding on a very basic issue. So let me define it as google would, feminism is equality in political, social, and economic rights for people of all gender.

Why feminism then? Why not simply humanism? So let’s address the question that gets asked not because there’s a valid argument behind it but to shun a valid movement.

Feminism because it’s the female gender that we are striving to bring at par with the male gender in terms of the opportunities at equality. Don’t tell me “it’s the 21st century, there isn’t any disparity”, because it’s there. Right from companies in paying unequal wages to men and women for the same work to women in rural India dropping out of school when their menstrual cycle begins, gender equality is there, very much there!!

So, how you, as a man, can ensure you support a woman in bridging this gap and how you as a woman can make active efforts to progress on the path to equality??

Feminism is all about freedom and equality. It’s the freedom to choose to become a housewife if that’s where your heart lies, to live a life on your own without getting attached to the stigma of being “unmarried”.  It’s about picking your own goddamn chair and not looking for a man to do it, not if you are capable enough to do it on your own. If we are to fight for equal rights, we’ve to learn to take equal responsibility too.

I unlearned a lot of stereotypes and prejudices as I grew up and one of them was beauty. So, I don’t tell a woman she’s beautiful. I tell her that she’s strong, caring, fierce as a lioness when it comes to protecting her loved ones, and free as a dove when it comes to flying towards her dreams. So, from now on, please don’t compliment me about my beauty. Instead, tell me that when you look into my eyes, you see that there’s a soul inside, beautiful alive and ready to set the fire because that’s what I would search in you too.
So women, let’s bring about the change together. I hope the next time you don’t settle for an unequal salary and the next time when your relatives tell you short dresses are exactly what ‘excites’ males, I hope you give them a piece of your mind. I know you’re strong, and we’re stronger together. So, let us all be there for each other.

Just remember, that there’s no better place of learning than from each other. The battle is not between men and women; it’s against ourselves and the norms and constructs that we have placed on each other.

-Shivangi Kharbanda

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