Why Women's Day?

When we celebrate a day, we know that it is once a year event and hence deserves its due on that particular day. There are just two genders in this world, we have multiple languages, myriad races and cultures yet we pick one of the genders to celebrate 'The Women's Day'.  Being a woman, it makes me happy and at the same time surprises me equally more. I am happy because it allows me to celebrate the achievements and roles of people who were born with some of the same intrinsic abilities as I was. And it surprises me because if women have really arrived in life then why do we still need to remind ourselves of their capabilities on just the Women's Day? Are we trying to salvage women from the impending troubles or just doing some kind of damage control?

I somehow can't gather myself to believe that we celebrate Women's Day. If all was well with women, then why do we need to do them this extra favour? And if they were so special, then why not make them feel so special all round the year? Why do we then not celebrate 'Men's' Day' and give them the once-in-a-year special treatment too!

Whenever there's a talk on rewarding women, we harp about their roles as mother, sister, wife, professional etc – Admittedly I have no reason to differ as I know it's tough. But in an analogous manner, men also have roles as father, son, brother, professional etc that they might demand recognition for.

The only plausible reason that I can justify the celebration of this Day is with the fact that I know society at large is still somewhere unfair to the physically weaker gender. I say society as I do not mean men only – on some occasions, women too dig their own grave and their peers'! So collectively we somewhere need to further the cause of progress of women on an annual basis and hence this day is deemed so important. The reasons are so deep entrenched in our economic and cultural fabric as a human civilization that they are beyond the scope of this blog. In poorer or developing economies, women are victimized more often than in developed ones – as much as history has evidence for but nevertheless, those countries too are not devoid of any women centric problems.

The moot question is – What is so fundamental about their existence that makes them prone to suffering of a kind that the world is empathetic about but unable to reach a solution for. According to me, even if a girl is trained at par with a boy and is made to imbibe all elements that a successful individual needs to possess – the vulnerability by design doesn't evade the woman. The insecurity of being physically hurt, the need for emotional recluse in a man in whatever capacity and most importantly the fear of losing social identity in absence of an association with a man often push women to stretch themselves until they break. Quite visibly, the faster a woman accepts this vulnerability and abandons it, the stronger she emerges in life else hell breaks loose on her.

We have been witness to many successful single women but all have a story of suffering behind them that catapulted their growth story.

Here, I am not referring to 'happiness' – for that is really relative. I am referring to that sense of peace about being a woman, which many women lack. That is primarily the reason why they need this booster dose of confidence and appreciation from all men they know on days like this.

It gives them a high, makes me feel good too but it spurs an urge to evaluate myself as a women for the rest of the year. Am I confident as a woman? Am I safe as a woman? Will I get the same victory if I do everything that a man does or will that be just a way to please myself? Will I be misconstrued if I behave in a way that a man does? Do I really have to fight for my respect all the time – on the road, within the family, in the office, at the marketplace…Or, can I just let myself be and feel happy and safe in this universe?

Many women I know have actually achieved emancipation, in close co-operation with the man she walked the road with. It can be anybody, a relative, a friend or a complete stranger. Kudos to such men who understand this need for women to not only stand on their own but feel on their own!

There's no law that can herald this change, there's no education that can cause this perfection, there's no society that can act as a balm for problems that women are quintessentially occupied with – A woman has to learn to envelope herself with all the necessary energy, shield herself from all physical and emotional onslaught, yet protect her tender core that the world so loves.

For all that may or may not change, we cannot deny that only a woman can give birth, can create life inside her and life is beautiful. So is every woman!

Wish all female readers a very happy women's day and all male readers a happy accompaniment!