Shravani Phukan
Women should not be given the right to make decisions; they are too emotional, too weak, and too feeble for this world. Right?
This line may feel offensive or rude, but looking at the state of today’s society in India, it seems somewhat true for certain sections of people even today. For someone living amidst the tall buildings of a fast-paced city, this ideology may sound outdated. But, to be honest, it really isn’t. Many women are unable to make decisions about their finances, healthcare, housing, etc., because they lack one crucial thing: agency.
Agency is a person’s independent capacity to act of their own volition, make decisions, and exert control over their lives. It represents the ability to initiate actions and shape one’s own experiences rather than simply reacting to external forces or circumstances. It is like being the driver of one’s own car rather than having someone else drive it. Agency is necessary for a woman, not just for herself but also for society.
Moreover, the agency we are talking about right now is not a new trend on Instagram or a super-cool new word being used for women’s empowerment these days. Women have been exercising agency for years; it is our blind eyes that refuse to see it. Like idiots, we cover our eyes with the dust of illusion, an illusion created by people to conceal the real power of women and the strength and agency they hold in their hands.
The roles of women that people have been preaching for centuries are wrong. Even the women in our scriptures had their own choices; they were not bound by the shackles imposed by their fathers, husbands, or the public. In the Ramayana, Sita was never forced to endure 14 years of exile; it was her conscious decision. She was never forced to return to Mother Earth either. Instead, given the circumstances surrounding her, she made an informed decision and chose to leave. This is agency.
Draupadi in the Mahabharata took a stand for herself at every step, whether in front of the Kauravas, her husband, or even the king himself. This is agency. Sati immolated herself in her father Daksha’s sacrificial fire because she had to make her own decision when her father insulted her Mahadev in front of the entire court. These are stories of women exercising agency, and this is the real power of a woman.
That is exactly what the world needs right now: more opinionated, bolder, and stronger women. Looking at our society today, the fact that a woman makes a choice and has it respected seems like a dream that keeps moving farther and farther away.
To officials, rape cases, sexual harassment, extreme brutality, the mocking stares, and the comments passed on the streets do not seem to be problems that need to be solved immediately. Apparently, all we need for development is to construct buildings and flyovers across India.
When, after all this, women finally stand up for their rights, they are mocked. Their slogans are called uncultured and rude, and their words are labelled abusive. Where is the culture of those who witness these atrocities happening right in front of them? They have the power to shape India, our society, and the lives of the people who live in it. Yet, all they choose to do is remain silent and move on with their comfortable lives, making public places such as cars, trains, buses, schools, universities, hotels, parks, and roads, as well as private spaces such as homes, more unsafe than ever before.
Whether it is an eight-month-old baby wrapped in a blanket or an 80-year-old woman draped in a sari, the cases that appear on our phones every day just do not seem to stop. Yet, the government’s biggest concern seems to be whether people have obtained the required permissions to protest in public places. The only viable solution offered to protect women is to restrict them from going out after sunset.
It is time we opened our eyes and realised the reality in which we live today. The scrutiny women face was just as prevalent decades ago as it is now. That is why I believe we cannot stop fighting for our rights in society. Society needs to be refined, challenged, and freed from all those invisible shackles imposed upon us.
Even then, I believe we should never stop fighting, because fighting brings change. At every turn in our lives, change is bound to happen; it is inevitable. Now, as I conclude my thoughts and place them in your hands, I would like to share a story to end my reflections and begin yours.
So, let me tell you a story about a glass house and a stone that will enlighten you about our own history.
Once, a glass house stood happy and free in the middle of a field, with no wish to flee. But suddenly, one day, a stone came flying in. It struck her and shattered her to pieces. It hurt her, made her bleed, and left her broken, with nothing but regret.
The stone was at fault, but people criticised only the beauty of the glass house.
In despair and fear, she began to believe that what they said was right.
In a second, her confidence disappeared, lying lifeless, while her happiness had already left.
She hid her face from the people and the stone, believing that they had done nothing wrong. Blaming herself for everything that had happened, she eventually died, not of hunger, but because her struggle had lasted too long.
This is the end of a story that seems destined never to mend the rigid minds of those who defend the indefensible.