Women’s Day is an occasion for awareness and revolution. Years have gone by and only now are we being partly recognized and only now are we being precisely heard. Women are the reason for men and vice versa. This calls for mutual respect and understanding between the two genders. Inequality is one of the biggest problems this world faces. Strong and empowering women are opening up and standing for what is right. On this day we celebrate the women from all around the world and in particular these five women who opened up about this patriarchal world.
1. What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
Tarz: It is just another day of hustle and work, nothing changes except what you do on a daily basis is celebrated.
Ramya: It’s just another day.
Rajeswari: It’s just a reminder to all women that they’re all beautiful and capable.
Smruti: International Women’s Day means a day that celebrates equality, women empowerment and celebrating a woman.
Neha: Would take an hour and pamper myself.
2. Do we need a special day to be recognized?
Tarz: Absolutely not, womanhood needs to be celebrated every day. Having said that I believe in finding excuses to celebrate days and occasions. If wishing people can bring in a smile to many, why not?
Ramya: No. We just need to be recognized in general.
Rajeswari: Not necessarily but I feel this day works just as a reminder to every woman out there and I see no harm in celebrating it one day!
Smruti: No. It would really help if all days celebrated or at least respected women.
Neha: Like we always say every day is women’s day, we do not need a special day to celebrate women hood, but no harm to make an extra effort for the women in your life.
3. If you were a ruler what would be the first thing you would change to bring about equality?
Tarz: Equal pay for men and women. Hiring people on basis of skills and talents and not gender, race, caste, face etc.
Ramya: Equal pay for equal work.
Rajeswari: I’d gift every lady something when they achieve or do something for themselves or for others. Often the little victories are gone unnoticed. I’d make sure every struggle is recognized and celebrated.
Smruti: Equal number of clean washrooms for men and women both at the workplace and at home.
Neha: Men who think women belong to the kitchen or raise kids for that matter if I were a ruler I would change this ideology.
4. What would be the one thing you would do, if you lived in an equal world?
Tarz: I’d travel a lot more and fearlessly, knowing that my body and intent is safeguarded. I’ll explore places all alone, without worrying my mother back home.
Ramya: I’d stay out after dark.
Rajeshwari: I’d go anywhere I want late nights without the fear of being harassed.
Smruti: Wear what I want. Smoke in public. Breathe freely in general.
Neha: Would travel without a pepper spare in my bag.
Tarz: Any quality can be possessed by any human. People can be chivalrous, courteous, kind and nonjudgmental, sweet, mean or whatever, a gender can’t decide these things.
Ramya: Women are chivalrous
Rajeswari: Yes, a woman can be anything she wants to be.
Smruti: Without being treated in a negative way? Not really.
Neha: I feel being chivalrous has nothing to do with gender.
6. How can men make a meaningful change for equality?
Tarz: I think both men and women need to break out of the conditioning created by the society that some body parts make you less capable or more capable. So why just men? I know a zillion women who oppress women as bad as men do and hence. A change in thought will reflect in change in actions eventually.
Ramya: Accept that women are equal to men.
Rajeswari: By treating a woman just the way they’d treat another man. We need nothing less nothing more.
Smruti: By respecting women to begin with.
Neha: They do not have to go all out there to make that change, all they need to do is support they mother/wife/daughter/sister/friend/girlfriend in whatever they want to achieve in life. The change will eventually come.
7. What do you think about women who support and nurture patriarchy?
Tarz: I can only request them to stop filling their minds and everybody else’s minds around them with filth. No living being is superior to the other no matter what. Teaching your sons to be kind and respectful just like you teach your daughters is very important. Teach your kids to embrace themselves and celebrate their emotions and being, boy or a girl is insignificant.
Ramya: Each one has their own set of opinions. Everyone is entitled to their own mindset.
Smruti: I feel sorry for them. Because honestly, they don’t know anything better.
Neha: They just do not belong to this century.
8. What is an appropriate celebration for today?
Tarz: Creating laws that keep women safe. Because we are far from reaching that mark. Eve-teasing, rape culture, we are living in a nation where every few minutes a girl is molested or raped. Creating severe punishments and laws against these crimes can be a perfect gift.
Ramya: Recognising the work women do on a daily basis not just on one day.
Rajeshwari: Go eat whatever you want and pay your back, Say you’re the king of your life and appreciate your journey!
Smruti: Give us the day off.
Neha: if you are working do not think it should be a day off, Go to work, because that’s what we are fighting for, for letting us work and for letting us do what we wish to.
9. Does allotting minority status to equalize, result in an equitable society?
Tarz: No, if a man is skilled and is not getting a job he deserves because of a quota then it is not done. But considering how the situations and ratios of women and men working in the society are it can be an initiative. But even then only qualification and skills basis, not because their body looks different.
Ramya: No. It just provides men with an easy way out from speaking about equality in general.
Smruti: No it doesn’t. It is basically going against the norms of equality. While one talks about the upper class being given preferential treatment, giving the minorities more preference is doing the same in reverse.
Each woman is strong and unique in their own way but the main thing we as women can do is stop. Stop being silent, stop putting men on unnecessary pedestals, stop saying yes because he is a man and for women’s sake start saying NO.
