7 reasons why I don’t like Women’s Day

It’s International Women’s Day and women all over are buzzing with delight. But much as I appreciate women and what they have accomplished, I don’t like  Women’s Day. Here’s why:

  • There will be some cursory media coverage of how women have made great strides in almost every field and how they are strong and powerful. A starlet will be quoted on how great her mom made her who she is. Yeah, right!
  • Women may be gifted and greeted on this—but they will continue to be suppressed and oppressed by their own families. Want to study abroad? We’re saving up for your wedding/ brother’s education. Hungry?– Your father and brother must eat first. Want to play sports? –Girls don’t do that. Oh, so-and-so had a baby girl? How sad!
  • And don’t even get me started on the crimes against women. Women will continue to be persecuted, raped, groped, eve-teased and violated in the worst ways possible. According to a just-released report, nearly one in four Indian men has committed sexual violence at some point in their lives. What kind of society do we live in?
  • Women (and men) are bombarded with marketing messages: Do a chocolate massage, get 15% off; buy 2 amazingly-atrocious shirts, get 1 free… Stuff like that. Yeah, we love shopping, and we love clothes, makeup, accessories, spa treatments. But we’re not just about spending money.
  • So we’re also about multi-tasking and multiple roles. As a friend on Facebook just posted: “So many roles—daughter, wife, friend, sister, aunt, grandma!” True… but even men are sons, husbands, friends, brothers, uncles and grandpas. 🙂
  • Let’s face it—not all women are the epitome of grace, perfection, elegance, charm and dignity. A hop into the Virar fast on a weekday evening will shatter any such myth. If women have been through all sorts of struggle, so have men. (I’m all for equality—not necessarily one better than the other).
  • About the issues of economic and social equality, we’re still far away from such a day. It’s just another utopian idea.

The day we don’t need to acknowledge or “celebrate” women—that will be the real International Women’s Day.

Anyways, Happy Women’s Day to all Speaking Chic readers.

6 comments / Add your comment below

  1. Very interesting article & I totally get your POV. The general tendency is to either glorify women (almost as great goddesses) – & make her the epitome of all things nice (so that she remains a good girl) or treat her like cattle.. Basically a unidimensional view. I would really like to be treated just as a person – just as good or bad as the next in line.

    But on the other hand – if having a “day” results in some benefits or schemes being launched by govts/corporates & that helps make the life of even one girl/woman better – I think the hype is worth it 🙂

    1. @Tanveer- Yes, I think some of the govt schemes to promote better lives for girls/women can be effective, esp in smaller towns. But we don’t really need a special day for that. 🙂

  2. Agree 🙂 On so many counts – especially on not all women need be celebrated and also the fact that women’s day is a marketing gimmick similar to valentine’s day….and women in India really have so much ground to cover before we celebrate a day in their name. Kudos to this post 🙂

  3. I completely agree! If all these years we’ve been shouting for equality, why do we need a women’s day? Why not a Man’s day too?

    1. @Rukhshar- I’m sure men will be happy to get a day dedicated to them, LOL. But seriously, equality doesn’t come with special “days”, it comes with social change.

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