A fresh perspective

Tomorrow, we are going to get engulfed in the celebration of Women's Day. What were the reasons to mark one day especially to celebrate womanhood? Was it the rise of feminism? As a society, what is the relevance of this day is to us?

Making a mental note of all the responses I gathered from a section of people, the reasons were very different (with a tweak here and there) from the ones which were identified a century back; much to my dismay. The similar branches of the tree on which feminism stands and flourish today.

A century ago, females were struggling to find a right to vote as those were the times when they had no right to the political reigns on the constituency. That period of history when they actively demanded to have a right in the decision making say to the matter of having a progeny or not. That era when they didn't have a right on the property (ancestral or immediate family). A time when they wanted to have the same right of equality as the other gender for getting employment opportunities. The fundamental rights which we take for granted now were denied and were considered normal back then.

Many decades before the date was marked to bring high-speed gear shift to gender-equality, International Women's Day served as a reminder of the cause to propel towards the reform for the females then and for the ages and generations ahead.

The relevance of reasons identified during the history to become a key driver for that sort of a radical movement is in the sphere of a question mark today. And it is required to be dissected for multiple reasons. The fact that a woman has the right to exercise her fundamental rights like the other gender, the fact that a contemporary woman is very different from those times demands this day to be hawk-eyed. A canvas of ideologies, her fundamental rights, the thought process, the lifestyle, the degree of independence has witnessed a 180 degree of turn. Females are in fine space today.

We are striving to strike the balance between two seemingly opposing ideas. How far that objective is achieved is indeed a matter of debate and open for varying opinions. Statistically, it varies as per demographics, culture orientation, quality of education or the social conditioning one may have. Do we need one day to be marked special as a reminder for the changes, if any, required to be bought? Isn't it supposed to be a part of an ongoing process, step by step to be followed daily if we intend to bring any change? It will not require an eternity for visible results to fructify.

I had to check with some people (mix of both genders and accomplished) to understand what Women's Day means to them. The responses were varying. For some it meant a respectable attitude towards woman, for some enabling them to be a part of the decision-making process, for some equal opportunity for both genders, for some non-judgemental attitude by society on their marital status, live-in together choices, separation or divorce matters, having no child status and much more.

Of course, these all are heavy considerations. But subjected to both genders. Males are no less susceptible to fall under scrutiny for judgments and other pre-determined social biases. The glorification of Women's Day is a nullified concept today. Speaking of the contemporary word what we most often refer to 'Empowerment' means a very simple principle. A principle of self-reliance.

It's not merely a concept. It's daily awareness and practice that brings tangible outcomes. It's a knowledge that generates confidence which is deeply penetrated to every cell of your body to drive your actions accordingly. Tough for many people to believe or digest the fact, but there are living beings in the world to whom the only varying difference in both genders is varying human anatomy (and that is it).

Self-reliance for physical safety, emotional well-being, financial responsibility, personal decision capability, a large section of women today is more openly embracing what they want. Without shying away from the fact of having an opinion they are vocal about it too in a very unfiltered manner. Knowing and most importantly believing you are important and deserve similar treatment as any other human. Pitching one gender superior over other sounds very primitive and is an old school mindset in contemporary zeitgeist.

Views expressed are strictly personal