Happy Women's Day

Yes its one more of those 'days'. This one is for the women (or so they say). A day when you would receive yet another crafted e-mail about why it is that you should salute the spirit of women.

All your guy friends will either wish you or if they are real close friends, will make fun of you. There will be completely unnecessary debates about why there is no Men's Day. When in school, it used to be even worse, being put in the category of 'women' when you were still just a girl :P It was confusing. Then there would be this odd guy whose birthday would fall on Women's day who would be teased to their wit's end.

While you are forwarding the mailers, and texting friends, and feeling both happy and angry, you try to guage your real emotion behind it.

So why is it that you feel happy? Maybe because this is the day people appreciate the care economy. When they, even if it is for namesake talk about contribution of women to the world, their current status in society, analyse it, debate about it, point out the inconsistencies, and think about solutions. For once they pay attention.

And angry? Because it becomes more of lip service. They strengthen the stereotypes. Put women into categories, traditional, modern, career girl, housewife etc. etc. They touch the first layer and do not dare to dig deep.

They talk about how today women are doing well in all professions, but not about how sexual harrassment at work is increasing day by day. They talk about men accepting women, not about how rape as a display of power is increasing. How successful women are generally portrayed as unhappy in their personal lives. How at each moment, a woman is made to feel guilty for not paying attention to family. How the women who are even partially free, are a miniscule percentage as compared to the harassed, bruised, physically or emotionally tortured, subjugated or 'cultured' women who never have an identity forget loosing it!!

So what do we celebrate? Women? Or the idea of women as men want it?

I just went to have lunch and the canteen person gave me a rose & said 'Happy womens day'. Sigh!! I could see all women having a rose, smiling, and inspite of myself it did bring a smile to my face too. The debate in my head continues............