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For 8 March, 2008, International Women’s Day

A Letter from Women of this World to Educated Men…

My fellow educated human beings,

Yes. Our condition is much better today. We go to schools. We go to jobs. Not only that, we are also providing leadership in all the fields and walks of life. Yes, the womanhood is celebrated today, as it never has been. But yet, the battle is far from over. For all those who are educated, who feel that all these women empowerment cries are bogus or distorted, we have some questions -

• “Mama! I also want to come out in this world!”- Cry of a baby girl from womb! : The discrimination starts much before when the doctor says, “It’s a girl”. Do people kill girl-foetus even today or not? And who is party to this unimaginable crime? Aren’t they all doctors and paramedical, educated professionals?
• The unwanted burden: The moment a girl is born, there are many who are not happy. Some wanted inheritor for their business, wealth and so on. And many, many of these people are educated, aren’t they?
• Good Education just to get good groom! : Not all girls have freedom for education. And worse, don’t many people educate their daughters so that “they get good grooms”? So even if the girls are educated with this motivation, is it fair? Is it wholly right?
• Yes to being master chefs in five star hotels but not to help in a home! : Today many girls are brought up like boys. Some families declare this very proudly. But do they bring up their boys as “girls”? Do they teach all household chores to boys too? And till they do it, is real fairness to women possible?
• Earth is round for boys and flat for girls! : If girls want to venture out, aren’t they admonished as if the earth is flat for them and they will fall off the edge if they go out?
• Saved from soldier but not from husband! : “Marriage for women is the commonest mode of livelihood, and the total amount of undesired sex endured by women is probably greater in marriage than in prostitution”, says Bertrand Russell in his book “Marriage and Morals”. Is this right even today or not?
• Trapped in their own homes! : We have a special mindset for housewife. Why houses require only wife? Are husbands, fathers not required for making a home?
• Self always last? : Women have the special, natural privilege to be mothers. But who will decide what is more important for them? Do we, knowingly or unknowingly, interfere or not?
• Men are slaves of sex, women slaves of security : Women’s weakness is their conditioning to long for security. Like any fractured limb, they can’t feel free unless some exercises are done; some pain is taken to move their muscles that have been unused for a long time. Do we seek to help them be free or do we take the advantage of their insecurity for our convenience?
• Wrong if weak. Wrong if strong. : A woman feels guilty if she is smarter than men. It is said that a man is taught to apologize for his weaknesses, a woman for her strengths. If she shows more capabilities than her spouse or her colleagues, she is frowned at. This is observed no less with educated people than illiterate. Isn’t this ridiculous, yet a fact?
• Who made all these rules? : Can a man find fulfillment staying at home, raising children and running house chores? If yes, why is he not doing that? Is there a way for woman, as for man, to find her self except by her own creative work?
• Are there sexes for self-confidence and self-esteem too? : It is believed, if a woman stays out, her children or their upbringing would suffer. Do we ever try to see what such women do for 24 hours within four walls and whether they are really helping children? Can they ever teach them any lofty values that result in achievements and high self-esteem if they first do not do the same ever? Aren’t they human beings before they are wives and mothers?

And that’s not all. One last question to all fellow man-beings is- do you think your life will be fulfilled if you don’t understand women, their struggles, their aspirations? Is women empowerment the issue of liberation of woman alone or does that concern liberation of man equally?

We do not believe in any kind of woman empowerment campaign that is anti-man, anti-feminine, and anti-family; or that is wrongly rebellious, impulsive or reactionary. But if you will look at this issue with deep honesty, you would not ignore this for sure, for your own sake. Do ponder over this on the occasion of International Women’s Day being celebrated on 8th March this month.

Please do remember, in spite of all, we always love you.

Yours Sincerely,

Women of this world

Sanjiv Shah (Oasis)