Am I proud to be a woman? Hell Yeah! I Am :-)
And here's me sharing my journey as a woman....
How was your childhood as a girl? :
Compared to other stories that I hear about discrimination between a girl or boy, my childhood as a girl was relatively pleasant, without any such hiccups. My father was very strict and perhaps there was a want of a 'boy' for the second child somewhere, ( with the first already being a girl ), but then I landed and they pretty much had to contend with that.
Were you cherished and celebrated or did you notice something amiss? :
My family is from north-east where woman is respected a lot and female infanticide/foeticide or social issues like dowry etc are quite unheard of, so, it wasnt much of a big deal or frowned upon ( as compared to certain other parts of the country ) to have a girl child. My mother had 7 sisters herself and my father had 2 sisters and all of the girls in both the families had good education, respect, upbringing etc. So, that way I indeed was lucky to be born in a liberal set up.
Were you happy to be a girl? :
I was very happy to be a girl, but the tomboy in me did want to be a boy many times. Especially, since boys got to do so many outdoor activities which girls generally arent allowed or would look awkward doing. But still many a times I did go ahead and did exactly as I wanted. There were strict moments that I did have to face from time to time, as my parents wanted me to act girly all the time. But I was super active and adventure loving.
Do you feel that today’s girls are empowered? :
Yes, many of todays girl's are empowered. Things are slowly changing but only a little. Many places still have and follow the rigid old social dogmas.
I myself faced stiffest opposition and really felt the pressure of being a girl when I made the decision to shift to Bombay ( away from my parents ) and explore life on my own. That was after my studies and my parents had wanted me to follow the natural norm of a girl getting married and settled down. But, I wanted to live and experience life of independence first, and on my own terms. I wasnt interested in just being a wife to someone or be answerable to anyone. I wanted to feel freedom in its real sense without any strings.
With great reluctance, my parents finally accepted my free spirit and the urge to live life on my own terms. Hence, they have left my life's own decisions to me, which I dont think many Indian girls really get i.e the freedom to make their own decisions.
Which woman has been my biggest inspiration ? :
Since my childhood my mother has been my biggest inpiration and my idol because I have really seen her struggle when times were bad. I've seen the hurt and pain that she has gone through, but kept her calm and a brave face throughout. Infact, I think all mothers in this world are epitomes of patience, sacrifice and endurance and this is because, they are women!
Do you have a special girl in your life today? What makes her precious? :
Yes! For me all girl/woman ( the whole female species ) in this world is important and very special. I feel it is a blessing to be a girl. After all it is a girl/female who has the power of giving birth and this needs to be respected by all, including women.
Many women I've noticed, indulge in female foeticide themselves i.e killing their own girl child. They should protest against this gruesome act. I've seen many a mother-in-laws forcing their sons to gather large dowry, this has to stop. Women can stop many of the injustice they bring unto themselves. They must realise that they are women themselves.
I would love all the women to have better respect, dignity, equality, safety and the choice to live life as they want.
Happy Women's Day!!
This post is a part of ‘Celebrating Girls, Celebrating Women’ Contest with Womensweb
Enjoyed reading this post!
ReplyDeleteHappy Women's Day..:)
hey dear...thanks and same to you!
Delete