Another Women’s Day but A Fresh Perspective

Every March 8th, I wake up wondering how to respond to those million Women’s Day messages that start popping up on my Whatsapp and Facebook.

As a Feminist (proud that I am one!), the concept of Women’s Day makes no sense to me at all! I believe the entire feminism movement is about making us women regular and EQUAL, not ‘Special’! So, I decided, not to, respond to messages or wishes.

As the day got by, sense also started to prevail. I pondered and decided to look at the positives of a celebration like this. I questioned why should a feminist encourage and celebrate this day – below are a few reasons that I found:

(i) At least, everyone discussed women’s issues.

And Voila! What do I see over the course of the week?

‘Taj introduces referral programs to make workspaces friendly for women’
‘Aayog launches women entrepreneurship platform on women’s day’
‘Bengaluru gets a rail-station run only by women.’

All these institutions came forward and chose this day to make declarations on how they are going to set the ball rolling. While we can argue this can be done without any celebrations, may be such events help and motivate people.

(ii) Freebies – Never a bad deal!

In my previous organization, we were showered with handmade gifts and a special lunch. The gifts obviously gave some institution huge profits and some creative person, a platform to express freely.

Women’s Day also has brands giving out heavy discounts – which can never be a bad deal. Although I do wish all discount announcements did stop coming in pink only. We love all colours (and colours of life) undisputedly, don’t make us choose one alone.

(iii) The opposite gender

Some men out there, decide to give the lady a break and actually do most of her work. While it might have been for the great photo-op on FB and Insta, it definitely seemed to help the cause to a large extent.

If wishes were horses, I would want this to be the scene every day. Alas! one day at a time we can build Rome – eventually. Let’s start with baby steps, move to weekends and then make this an everyday routine. Amen!

Women-here I call out to you – Let us stop making a big deal of the men sharing the load. They are doing no extra work, they are doing the work they should be, for themselves and to live an independent life.

(iv) Lessons from History
At least, on this day, journalists go back into history and trace stories of women who made a difference to the entire ecosystem. This year, I read a coverage by a major news network whose reporter went to Rajasthan and met Banwari Devi. For the unknown, Banwari Devi is the reason we have the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act today.

This story actually saddened me a little as this pointed out that the strong lady was still awaiting justice. She was not being treated well in the village and had to live alongside her rapists in the same village, every day. This story also explained to me the significance of women’s day, it is much easier to un-celebrate it in an urban, cosmopolitan city, but our rural India still needs great progress. The women campaigns and movements have to focus attention to this landscape and raise the bar there.

(v) Companies in a bid to show commitment, come out with ads to influence an entire generation. This year, my vote goes to the ad by Ashok Leyland which has assured and fulfilled its commitment of ensuring 30% of workforce being women. The additional benefit is that the ad reaches out to the young girls who could never imagine that women could be part of a manufacturing unit.

(vi) Heard on radio about a robotics company in Hyderabad whose working staff is 50% women. The man who spoke on radio listed the positives of having such a great man-women ratio in the workplace. This conversation is important to have and to let people actually understand the advantages, the counter is always the finances and the ’Maternity Leave’. Despite the financial hole the companies fear, conversations with management who hire women will bring out the success stories of having a diverse institution.

(vii) Read promises of all women being supportive and standing by one another through thick and thin. I believe my clan and the promises are here to stay!

(viii) The number of women called to speak at events on this given day is a business opportunity in itself. Unfortunately, I have been reading some articles on how people expect this work to be done for free, which is another debate by itself and will need a separate day to tackle this one.

Anyway, I know my Zumba instructor was asked to conduct sessions for women in an organization, the event came with one caveat – no one should sweat. I go for her classes and wonder how she achieved that.

So just one day of the year has made so many changes which will have an impact for the remaining 364 days.

By the end, I was convinced that celebration of this day is a great idea and still very much needed in today’s day and age.

So next year, I shall wake up early and wait for the wishes and gifts to hit me. But what I will actually wait for is the day the wishes fade away, the day the women actually obtain equality in its true sense and we need not have one day dedicated to nearly 50% of the population.

Till that day wishing everyone a slightly belated, but a very Happy Women’s Day!

Let us achieve the impossible!

By Aparna Nair