A fashion, farce or feminist future

Mita Nath Bora

(The writer can be reached at mitanathbora7@gmail.com)

WOMEN'S DAY

What is Women's Day all about? Is it about some women get-together, event, awards, speeches, wishes, some corporate meets, glittering shows, fun time and outings; or does it roll over to serious thoughtabout empowering and enriching women in the real sense? Are we still in touch with the initial movement of how and why women's day started? Have we outdone it or have we lost track of it? Have we left its essence far behind and moved miles away or are we still struggling to grasp it? Oh and yes feminism, is it being followed for what it was meant to be or is it destroying lives and family, as we keep hearing these days? Is progress and future only in a career we are looking for in all women? Is happiness something that we are seeking for from the external world? What is it as women that we want for our future? What is it that we are craving to satisfy our soul? What is our realization and what is it that we desire for our good and for the good of all?

Isn't it high time we reflected upon what and how many goals we achieved and what we brought forward from the Women's Day we celebrated last year and years past; and what differences have we made to the world or to the lives of women around us? These and many more questions create a tsunami of thoughts within me, taking me down a whirlwind of doubts, forcing me to look for answers from the vast world of reality and from far deep spiritualism. And queries have answers, some we can discover ourselves, some with the help of others and some from the world unknown. So we need to ponder upon as we move forward to celebrate Women's Day this 2021 and for years ahead, in its true essence, to make it more meaningful, worthwhile, impactful and empowering rather than just a celebration.

The theme of International Women's Day 2021 is 'Choose to Challenge' but choose to challenge whom but ourselves, our thinking, thought process, our everyday actions and activity. What are we doing right for self, our future, our family, friends, society, surroundings, community and the nation?

We are responsible for our own thoughts and actions every day. How do we take on the challenges, how do we respond and react to each of them are the only things that will decide how we progress? It is where we need women. We need women at home (without her, even the heart of the home is missing), at workplaces, at decision-making tables, as board members, in committees, in parliament, in defence, in manufacturing, as bureaucrats, and whatnot. Many women have achieved several milestones in the goals they set. Many are in the process. Many women have become successful and many are progressing. Their journey, their struggles, their stories will definitely be a learning lesson for many. And so the fortunate and successful women need to take on these other challenges, the challenge those unfortunate ones face, most importantly gender bias and inequality in the world wherever they still exists, whether it's the corporate arena where the glass ceiling needs to be broken by many; whether it is about increasing the number of women seat in parliament, to helping those that need to shoulder decision-making responsibility in the household. Successful women needs to show how a woman having a career can cultivate leadership skill to move forward and upward, guide and motive younger women to seek a career towards empowerment, financial security and self-confidence; how a woman as a homemaker can work towards enlightening everyone on building family affinity, bonding and value system, how to make a house a home and work on furthering their inherent skills. How a woman as an entrepreneur can work towards strengthening their business, building more networking associations, seek help for collaborations and tie-ups, while also help in being mentors for the younger generations. Successful women need to come forward to handhold that helpless women who need livelihood, more motivation and help put that smile back into her faces; and without doubt extend warmth and love and show that women in the remotest corner of that last village in our borders also matter and are cared for.

It matters not how straight the gate is.

How charged with punishment the scroll.

She has to be the master of her fate.

She has to be the captain of her soul.