The world has come a long way from allowing women access to education, granting them right to vote, to finally welcoming them on the C-Suite of multinational companies. The journey of granting and attaining equal rights was not easy and is not over, we have accomplished a lot but all is not done.
Nations across the world seem to have fulfilled the wider aspirations but society on the other hand has turned overcritical of female choices. The very recent case being that of Emma Watson, Belle from the upcoming film “Beauty and the Beast”, the young actor was criticized for her Vanity Fair cover photograph, to which she responded that feminism was about giving women choices. It is quite ironic of the critics to come down heavily on a pioneer of feminist campaign HeForShe when the International Women’s Day is just a couple of days away.
This Women’s Day, the campaigners of women’s rights should stop being feminazis and instead stick to being feminists with a positive and constructive approach while on the other hand the society needs to endow women with the right of making choices independently and without the fear of being judged.
In this world where people have freedom of all sorts, there are certain sections where women do not have proper access to sanitation facility, birth control measures, healthcare and even education in some cases. Evils like maternal mortality, school dropouts due to early pregnancy and child marriage, that we thought the world had got rid off long back, still prevail in several pockets of societies around the globe. Instead of being over critical of choices made by the well off women, collective endeavor should be made to reach out to the needs of those who are still in the last lap of attaining basic human rights.
Channeling efforts towards diminishing the differences between sections of female society is as important as bridging gaps between the sexes. Opening new doors for women should lead to the closure of discrimination and differences while also ensuring uniformity of attaining progress.
Reorienting the idea of feminism will be the true gift for every women this Women’s Day. Give back to the unconditional love of your mother, sister, wife or daughter, not just in material terms but in a sense that makes them feel special and cared for.
