Guest column | Women, march forth with grit and grace

Woman. It is not a noun, it’s a verb. Humankind has witnessed Darwinism, but women have experienced an evolution of their own through centuries in ways unfathomable. That has been made possible by collective voices of feminists, rebels against status quo, and change makers around the globe. However, it is women who have led the change they brought upon themselves. This day and age is probably the best time for women, in terms of greater number of women pursuing higher education, greater empowerment, changes in workspace, reproductive rights, recognition of sexual harassment, and so on. We the women of today, are certainly our ancestors’ wildest dreams! In lieu of such great progress, one may wonder what remains the relevance of the International Women’s Day? Isn’t this a topic which has been discussed enough? What more empowerment do women seek in the modern world which now positions itself as an equitable, diverse, inclusive space?
We are products of contingent histories. The genetic conditioning in the minds of women is so deep that it will take several generations to unearth, smoothen creases and start afresh. The place of women is buried under countless layers of semantics and cultural contexts that it does not reveal the wound that has long existed. A girl is the custodian of her father’s turban, it is said, thus handing women the weighty rock of guilt very young. This maybe the reason why women constantly feel a prick of guilt when they believe they choose themselves over others. If they pursue their passions, it might come at the cost of domestic bliss. On the other hand, committing oneself to domesticity unfortunately may not ensure bliss, thus another guilt ensues, the guilt for letting talent lie dormant. The situation is far more grim in the Global South where women still battle discrimination, domestic violence, harassment, dowry, gender inequality, constantly navigating their way through the asphyxiating labyrinths of patriarchal oppression.
It is true that over the years, women have weathered many a storm. But the bitter truth about weathering is that it results in erosion. Weathering is to survive, but the progress of the world hinges on the ability of its women to thrive. We witnessed it when the world was reeling under the pandemic, countries such as New Zealand, Germany and several Nordic nations led by women did systemically better as compared to their male counterparts. The difference was quite apparent in the American states led by men and women governors in the US as well. Not just in the outside world, but also within homes where women have an equal voice and place are happier homes. Happy women have far reaching consequences. They are able to build legacies that last, such as resilience, character and faith, not the ones which are defined by ephemerals like wealth and fame.
On March 8, 1857, a few women garment workers took to the streets in New York to protest against unfair wages and working conditions. Donning skirts and matching bodices, I imagine these trailblazers, with a fire in their belly, looking everyone in the eye while voicing their rights, holding placards, banding together. Nearly 167 years later, the revolution that began on the American soil, continues world over. This year, International Women’s Day is centred on the theme, “Invest in women: accelerate progress”. As we the women of today, sit on the shoulders of our ancestors, slowly and surely creating legacies that will outlast us, let us remember that we still have miles to go before we sleep.
“Tere māthe pe ye āñchal bahut hī ḳhuub hai lekin
tū is āñchal se ik parcham banā letī to achchhā thā”
(This veil over your head is beautiful but/ If you could use this veil as a flag instead, how lovely would that be!”)
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(The writer is a Chandigarh-based contributor. Views expressed are personal.)