here I am ..back on blogger, wanting very much to voice out some of my thoughts that have been crossing my mind, having seen all the hype and decorative preparation for International Women's Day coming up this weekend.
Frankly all the pretty dangly ribbons, lace and bow frilled celebrations are truly a joke.
As in all other international days to commemorate mothers, fathers, grandparents, children, water, food, toilets, refugees, pets, Aids, Wildlife, Valentines, wetlands, rain forests and all other reasons which people want to make it a useless celebration, the day for women has also turned out to be meaningless with so called Gender Activists screaming their lungs out about equality and discrimination.
I personally have been a part of all this fanfare during my time with the non profits,what I have not done in the name of International Women's Day ? Sticker campaigns, Cut Ribbons, Pinned flowers, Fake cheek to cheek acknowledgements, Coffee, Patty and Cake filled functions, speeches that were as long as a saree fall, heck I cant imagine I sat through all that bull crap !!!
Lets toss the usual trash aside and quit going with the flow,
Lets give some deep thought and pose the question to ourselves
"What do women really need"?
What we really need is a change and space to prove ourselves, recognition for doing something to our own financial independence, the mental power to recognize and push ourselves to a higher pedestal, the space to do what we want, to try and achieve something new in academics, sports, entrepreneurship without disruptions, objections or ridicule.
Just for one day, do we women want to be gushed over, choked with pink, flowers, purple ribbons, red lace knickers, smothered with poetic appreciative gestures, showered with chocolates, perfume, and special treats ? (now get this very clear, I am not into chocolates but nothing against perfume or knickers).
OR
Would we rather pick up all the times our souls were broken, shattered over some insulting remark, discriminating statement and or ridicule we had to face since the last women's day and take a stand in doing something better for ourselves ?
Would we rather not be better off in becoming more financially literate, savvier in handling the challenges that life specially enjoys throwing at us?
Why should we not opt for a more intellectual gift that would help us become mentally resilient and make us stand in line equally with men ?
I think it is us women who create this loser situation for ourselves, we let ourselves be identified as weak, we let ourselves be pampered with brain dead gifts, gifts which serve no purpose to build ourselves and then when the next 08th of March comes up, we rally around speaking about our real needs and how much recognition we deserve (for doing what I ask you if we have been wailing all along?).
What happened to the rest of the 364 days of chances where we could have made us of to do something for ourselves ?
Why do we always end up devaluing ourselves and accept all the garbage that is thrown freely at us with open arms ?
Does this mean that our real value is equal to the standard of pink flowers, pans, blenders, red knickers, ribbons, cakes, chocolates and wine ?
When will we begin to think and act smart ...take a stand in projecting our true value ?
Until we DO something to fix this stupidity
the 08th of March every year will be filled with more garbage, blanketing the real needs which we should address and qualify to get.
Let this be a wake up call to all of you wonderful women out there !!
May the infinite characteristics in the number 08 (08 March) inspire you towards a resilient journey of POWER AND COURAGE!
If Matthew's "ask and you shall receive" does not bring in the change,
Change the content to "advocate until you get what you deserve"
and if that does not bring in the desired change
keep that inner fight going steady until CHANGE comes in!
a slight buzz is on going in my corporate work place, "what can we do this year for international women's day ? Interestingly I learnt that that this year its going to be a mini gift pack comprising of a pink water bottle, pink comb, white plastic drawstring bag, pink make up sponge (WHY dear Lord has everything got to be in Pink?)
the last year it was a large box of chocolates which I turned down, because my value can never be equal to cheap chocolates.
Refusal to accept garbage that are gift wrapped in the form of appreciation is a sign of sustaining my true value.
This will apply to this year's gift pack as well !!!
