WOMEN SHOULD STAY AS WOMEN ?

WOMEN SHOULD STAY AS WOMEN

It was not very, very long ago that women stayed as women. They had no need or even intention to become men. It would seem crazy to suggest such a thing to women in present day scenario but sometimes I do feel women would be happier remaining women. They had a very important role assigned to them by nature and were made to suit that role just as men were made to suit the role assigned to them.

Women are made delicate, emotional charming, beautiful and elegant. On these count they have no competition from men. Their overwhelming capacity to endure in most trying circumstances put them in a most enviable position. They excelled themselves in every role they played be it a daughter, sister, wife, mother or grandmother.

Then it happened. They realized that they are being exploited not by men alone but by their own species. It was somewhat understandable as far as men were concerned because men are tuned to the false sense of supremacy because they thought they were made physically stronger only for protecting what they owned, their women included. Women were owned by them and it was their duty to protect them as they would protect anything else they possessed. In the process they did not hesitate to keep women locked indoors, away from the hungry staring of evil doers. Exploitation from own species was more hurting and unacceptable. Some of them somehow persuaded men around them fathers, brothers or even husbands to open the locks and let them see the world outside, to which men agreed though hesitatingly on one condition that she will not ignore her duties indoors. That was the beginning of women’s struggle to move out of womanhood.

The light outside was too bright for unaccustomed eyes. With some cautious steps this hurdle was crossed. There was so much to see and understand which was not possible without education. It was very long journey but with nature- gifted capacity to endure, she first took some tiny steps, then strides and finally big leap in the field of education. With education came job opportunities followed by financial independence.

But this was not enough. Time defies traditions and she now wants to have total freedom from age old shackles even at the cost of losing her hold on her natural role. As a daughter she now wants to choose her life partner or stay single. As a sister she wants equal share in property. As a partner in relationships she wants when to tie the knot. After tying the knot she wants if to have a child or not and how many. As mother she is no more tied up with breast feeding or dipper changing or even let the child sleep with her during the night as that may disturb her well earned sleep. She has no time to see when her toddler took those first steps or spoke those incoherent words. All this has been outsourced.

She had started the journey in the hope of freedom and happiness simply called empowerment. She seems to have achieved what she wanted.

Has she? She has taken jobs not suitable to her. Jobs with long hours, night shifts and jobs demanding outstation or out of the country travel. The requirement of job and its dead lines are too demanding. The colleagues do not cooperate and the boss does not listen. She leaves early in the morning and returns late in night totally exhausted. The maid servant is asking for salary increase, more facilities and leave. She pacifies her, eats whatever has been cooked and goes to bed. Weekends too are no less hectic. Shopping, visiting friends and relatives and other tit bits leave little time for anything else.

Condition of married women is worse. She leaves house (No more home) when the child is still sleeping and returns only to see it crying. Husband understands but cannot help.

Did she bargain for this? Was not she already happy as a woman? Whatever went wrong?

She knows the answers but does not want to accept. The mad race for materialistic comforts overrides all other considerations. In order to justify, it is argued that it is for the future of the children forgetting at the same time that their future lies not in the money you earn but in the time you can spare for them. The mother does not understand the child and the child does not understand her. The drift starts and is named as generation gap.

Was it not good if she had stayed as woman only and playing her natural role of caring and sharing at home? Education is not responsible for this. Education on the other hand could have supplemented and complimented her role. Instead it was used for materialistic comforts.