The only thing I remember about Women’s Day was making some banners, posters, and whatnot while in school, in Nepal, in the fifth grade. We always celebrated these ‘days’ in our school, be it World Day, Women’s Day, Children’s Day etc. Seriously, you’d be surprised at how many of these things there are. In any case, it gave us all a day to get out of our normal classes and paint posters, and then eventually run around the massive school grounds.
After moving to the US, no one really seemed to be aware that there was such a day as Women’s Day, and no one really gave a damn. Same thing in Canada. Now that some strange twist of fate has brought me to India, I’m once again encountering ‘Women’s Day.’
So why am I thinking about Women’s Day now?
A couple of reasons. First being Rush Limbaugh and his tirade against Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke. I’m not going to go into the depths of explaining Limbaugh and his adoring illiterate white trailer dwelling crowd, but here’s a Huffington Post link regarding Limbaugh’s verbal abuse against Fluke. Now that some of his sponsors are pulling out, Limbaugh has issued a douchey ‘apology’ which Fluke has rejected.
Sheesh.
Once again, I’m stumped how that country will ever remain the richest country on earth if it lets illiterate idiots take over. I’d say at least 1/5th of the US population is freakishly stupid and psychotically religious. And another 1/5th is a tiny bit less freakishly stupid and a tiny bit less psychotically religious. And Limbaugh happens to be one of the leaders of this great group of illiterate morons. The only issue is, they don't seem to realize that there definitely is a social class hierarchy in the US and they're at the very bottom. And instead of trying to climb up the hierarchy, they're stuck in a state of constant denial by following people like Limbaugh, Santorum, Perry, Bachmann (etc), who'll make sure that they remain poor and illiterate --> votes and listeners --> money and power.
[The rest of the 3/5th of the US population ranges from okay-ish to amazing! ]
This brings me to my point: how is this not an attack against women? How is this going on in a country that’s a) the richest in the world and b) that has the most advanced educational institutions in the world?
Another reason I’ve been pondering about Women’s Day is a post I read on the Life and Time’s of an Indian Homemaker’s Blog about stereotypic and harmful reasons that are propagated to lead women into being proud of their ‘gender.’ So then, this brings me to my other point: how are stereotypes like these not harming women? [Note: the post was based on another blogger’s post which you can read here. Keep in mind that some of the points here are sexist and homophobic so read it with the cultural context in mind].
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| 'Really? Epitome of sacrifice? Gimme a break.' |
Especially something that equates women with being the epitome of sacrifice and care and affection. I mean, really? Guess what? I’m a proud of being a woman who is NOT the epitome of sacrifice, care, and affection because I wasn't raised to be a brain washed sheep. Not that sacrificing isn’t important in relationships—hell, relationships are all about compromising and sometimes, about sacrificing. But the epitome of sacrifice? Doesn't that give the impression that it’s ONLY women who sacrifice? What a joke. What a pitifully miserable joke that any woman would force this 'epitome of sacrifice' role on herself.
I’m proud of being a woman who a) doesn’t cook b) isn’t a neat freak c) didn’t treat her partner as a ‘prop’ at her wedding [another serious WTF here, way to start a marriage] d) is selfish at times e) compromising at times and f) does not hold it upon herself to uphold ‘traditional’ values that are sexist, racist, homophobic, and all around harmful to an equal and progressive society.
In conclusion
I don’t exactly think I’ll be celebrating Women’s Day—it doesn’t really affect me in any way right now. And I’m pretty sure that my work isn’t going to give us a day off to make posters like they did at school. But I do think that the other, ‘developed,’ side of the world should take notice of Women’s Day. They’re not as egalitarian as they think, so long as they allow people like Limbaugh on air.
And also: HAPPY HOLI! Unlike last year, this year's Holi will be booze and bhang free for us since we've decided to go on a 'detox' diet which only includes eating healthy food, skipping alcohol, and exercising. Not fun, but sometimes necessary. Interestingly enough, I met Kartik on Holi day in 2008.
Sacrifice, care and affection are desirable qualities. But why equate them with a particular gender? Stuff and nonsense! Don't men have to sacrifice, show affection or care for others? When someone recently went ga-ga over women, that women were this, that and everything rolled into one, definitely much more than the men ever could be. I told them, "Cut the nonsense. What you are doing is praise women and with your flattery get them to do what you want them to do, namely serve you lot. That's how women have been fooled for centuries. Just because some silly women cannot see through this ploy, don't think that I cannot."
ReplyDeleteHey Shail! Thanks for your comment. That's a great thing to say to people who put women on an impossible pedestal.
DeleteThe logic: women are innately more sacrificing than men is total BS. Some people haven't truly understood that women are socialized (since their birth) to be more sacrificing and complacent, it has nothing to do with genetics.