A Woman’s Place
Women oriented campaigns,conferences, meetings, protest all has started on the eve of International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the liberalization of women, a day to celebrate for being a women by a women. This year the theme for international women’s day by United Nations is digiTALL, bringing equality in digital world. Women, girls should be exposed to the digital revolutions. They must know the required skills in technical aspects, so that ladies can also give sound opininons on matters of technical expertises. Another major implementation is the proposal of menstrual leave from work!! Seriously A shout to all these changes. 63% of women use internet as compared to 69% of men, a report stated. Women hold very less positions in Aritificial Intelligence Kerala and Bihar are the only states to have implemented menstrual leave to women Zomato has granted permission of 10 days menstrual leave
On this day the camaigns, events like walkathon are centred around three main colours namely the purple,green and white. Purple colour symbolizes respect and justice to a women, green colur symbolizes hope and white colour signifies purity. This trend in the colour is a uniform pattern which has been in continuation since the time International Women’s Day started, the colour was a spin off from the UK Wing Social and Pollitical Union.
U.S. witnessed the first women day in 1909, demanding lesser working hours in work areas,better pays etc. There was protest in U.S. as the women took part in the protest, followed to this Clara Zetkin initiated the Women’s Day, she was leading the women’s office for social democratic party in Germany. Consequtively many countries like Russia started to observe women’s day. Finally 8th march got declared as International Women’s Day for the first time by the United Nations in 1975.
I want to express my views on certain observations which I have seen growing up and now I am myself experiencing being a woman.
Eating rituals
I still remember my mother and other ladies of the house will be eating food later after the men finishes their eating . But I have always made it a point to eat along with my mother. As rules were like that which my mother always told me, so I kept quiet.I am also following these in my house after marriage as i am the last person to eat my food and wind up the table!!
Dressing Sense
I remember when it came to my dressing, I was not allowed to wear short clothes, why because the society is harsh, they will see you badly. Of course my brother being a boy could wear whatever he wanted. Now also the sitatuion is like that. Please wear traditional attire if you are at your inlaws or wear proper dress if you are at a social gathering.
The social dictats
As I grew up, I had to maintain a certain decorum of talking softly, politely with other people. Now also as a lady, I am supposed to greet everyone nicely, be patient with my son, be polite with the relatives, etc. If you are loud, then what will others think of you?? This is the first thing I am told!!
Career choices
Arrey what will you do studying so much, as it is you will have to get married. I grew up hearing that girls should take home economics or literature while guys should take science
At the workplace, don’t do late night shifts, the city is not good, so on and so forth. Don’t work after marriage, spend tine with your husband. As it is once you have a child you will only have to take care of his studies and your child .
All the complicated projects would be given to male colleagues, decisions mostly used to be taken by my male bosses or male managers.
Tech stuff
When internet first came into being, my brother had all the knowledge of the internet, he being younger than me and I was somehow not taking an interest in all this neither was I even initiated to take an interest in all this aspects. Today, I account for my lack of knowledge in the whiz area!!
At Workfront
She being a lady don’t give her important roles which requires a lot of techhie things, dont give her much tough work. There was no menstraul leave for me and my women colleagues in my work areas. I never got any leaves on the day of fasting.
Sports
Why do you need to take ball and bat in your hand when you can do with playing with dolls or kitchen sets. Why do you need to take interest in outdoor sports, you will get hurt as you are not that strong physically.
I am talking about myself who hails from a well to do family lving in a city who is exposed to internet, wi-fi ,modern day of living. But what about my friends who are still residing in small towns,who still are not able to voice their opinions …The problem doesn’t lies in the society itself, we as women will have to take the initiation of saying “Enough is enough”.We should not forget that we are mentally strong as well as physically strong to give birth!!
My situation has not always been that grim as my parents exposed me to swimming,driving, speak up for myself and now thankfully I am married to someone who is also supportive to me in terms of my career, views etc,…
Read more
The history of International Women’s day
DigiTALL:Innovation and technology for Gender Equality
The debate over menstrual leave
Read more from TheThinkingCap
