Womens Day 2021

It was a regular day at the office filled with back-to-back conference calls, unrealistic client requests, colleagues complaining about slow wi-fi and whining about bosses who constantly nag. 

In the discreet corner of the office, near the water-cooler, which more often than not becomes a hub of office gossip and harmless banter, somebody spoke. Such things happen when the environment is conducive enough. People let their guards down and unknowingly expose their innermost, crude and lewd biases. This someone basically cribbed that Women's day is celebrated every year with such enthusiasm as against to Men's day which is a relatively low-key affair. This someone also added numerous examples of sacrifices that men make in their daily lives but which go unrecognized. Added that modern women are supposedly empowered enough with the world rooting for them. Needless to say, this somebody was a he. And then everybody in the nodded in agreement and the banter continued.

I thought of cringing at this naked display of collective privilege. I thought of intervening. But to what end can I influence the unscrupulous patriarchs and make then realize the gross injustice of this callous statement which had just been passed? Can this brazen offence simply be left unattended, unpunished without a consequence? Maybe.

And this maybe is the real problem. Men and women not realizing that we are at a tipping point in history and that our struggle will determine the outcome of this monumental endeavour towards gender equality. This casual maybe is very dangerous. 

It is important to not let patriarchy win. Not let seemingly harmless comments go unattended. And realizing that small actions do make big difference. It is important to stand tall in the face of this unpleasantness. 

So, don't let such seemingly harmless comments go unattended. Tell everyone that this celebration of womanhood is a struggle to make people realize that the removal of deeply ingrained and unconscious biases against women is the need of the hour. Tell everyone that this envy they feel towards the unequal amount of appreciation being received by the two days celebrating two different sexes is a consequence of deeply rooted patriarchy. Tell then that a few decades of Women's day celebrations are not enough to nullify centuries of purdah, ghunghat, sati, dowry, polygamy, female feticide, and may other social evils. Tell them that even though the Women's day celebration alone is not enough, it is definitely a start and it is the moral responsibility of everyone, men and women included, to take all measures to ensure that this struggle doesn't lose steam. 

I have done my bit by standing up to this someone-at-the-water-cooler. What have you done this Women's day?