So, I picked up the remote and started browsing the various channels...when suddenly I came across a beautiful female talking some thing. She was so pretty that for once, I felt I should not possibly disappoint her..(after all, I was thoroughly convinced that she was there just for me....or else...how could you even expect to have beautiful females beaming out on the TV screens at mid noon when it was always the turn of stupid soap serial junk...) anyways, I thought I would waste some time listening to what this female would talk about......
And guess what the topic was: "Women Empowerment: Its relevance and scope in 21 century..."
Well, agreed that its one of the most discussed topics of the century (or should I say, even the last century). However, I think there is pretty much more that needs to happen in the future.
Actually, the episode I watched was a part of a 3-day programme (probably, taken up on the eve of the Women's day) and the discussion that day was more focussed on "The various Threats that women face in their day-to-day lives".
A string of interviews followed the introductory note. Though the sample set of females that have been selected were from diverse backgrounds (from working women to college students to female activists) one think that it lacked was views from the village women. This had, in some extent, brought some kind of disparity in the nature of the discussions. On the whole, all of them unanimously agreed to the fact that though there was some over all elevation of the female status in the society and in fact, in some of those areas that were once thought to be absolute male bastions, a majority of them are still discriminated and were utterly suppressed.
There were views from various sections that the sexual discrimination (and if we have to put it strongly, then sexual harassment) has been still rampant and freely adapted in various parts of the society.
This remembers me of a discussion I earlier had with one of my friends. He almost burst aloud when I said that there was sexual harassment. He could not disagree any better. He told me ‘Come on boss!! Just take a look at the chicks spending their entire nights at the disco and driving back home as safely as they would go from one room in their home to the other. Do you still think that there is a need of talking about things like ‘Women liberalization’ and similar stuff…’
I could not help but to sympathize with this friend of mine about his ‘authentic and over all knowledge ‘ on the state of affairs of women discrimination. I asked just one question. ‘Fine that you see females coming to discothèques but what is the answer that you have got to the report that puts the number of registered female discrimination cases every month is about 1 lakh in our own state? And what about the 25 lakh female feticide cases that get reported every year in our state? If this is just the number of cases registered, then, you could probably guess the actual numbers. ’
Discrimination is there and we all have to accept this.
Before we jump in to ways of tackling this issue, it would be much more clear if we could look at types of discrimination that the society currently faces.
Well, as far as I could see, they could be broadly categorized in to three.
1. Social
2. Economical
3. Political
With in the social, we could bring in three more sub categories namely, discrimination at work place, at other public places and domestic discrimination.
Though a particular type of discrimination might be valid only to a limited section of the total female population, never the less, all of them have equally contributed enough to the present day woes of the female community. For example, the discrimination at work place might be out of context in case of housewives, but nevertheless, these entire factors roll up to the same cause.
Now, the descriptions of the above classifications are pretty much obvious from their definitions.
Once again, these might not be so much evident in a modern society but as we go down the ladder of society, they are so ubiquitous that one cannot miss spotting them, probably, almost everyday.
Trying to find out the root-cause of this social monster, one plausible reason for this is a deep rooted, multi headed age old social discrimination based on gender that has been possibly passed across generations, making this just not another social issue but one with an equally bizarre cultural and ethical dimensions attached to it. This aboriginal system has been augmented, over periods, with loads of abstract theories and views and of course, foul motives, a complex human mindset, inherent with gender discrimination.
One more reason could be an evident imbalance in the physical capabilities amongst the two genders (in earlier times, at least), which could have led to an equally or even more worsening of the already existing situation.
When one female was asked as to what irritated her most, she vociferously complained about the disgusting and disparaging acts of ill behaviour of males in public transport. However, when asked for a plausible solution, she merely said in monosyllables “Nothing…They have to change”.
Though the females were all the while lamenting their problems, there was no constructive suggestion given to tackle an accosting issue nor was there any clarity on the consequences of these acts of discrimination.
Unfortunately, not even a single voice spoke of the current trends that are seeping in the society through the media and its adverse effects on the people.
The vision media, particularly since the later part of 20 century has become a very power full and equally dangerous tool in the human hand. It could work effectively in building a just society or also, push the entire social structure in to unending depths of failure and incompetence.
Discrimination of genders has been the order of the day even in the media, particularly, in the cinema. How ever, very little is really done to counter this trend and bring some kind of gender equivalence.
Also, on the political front, they have virtually no say. Apart from a very puny minority, most of them have no say in the political decisions taken by the various political bodies. The evident example is the fate of the women reservation bill which has been lying un passed on the floor of the parliament, in spite of a decent strength of female parliamentarians on the floor of the house.
Even though most of the parties are wielding female candidates in to election forays, some back seat drivers, who contrive the whole scene effectively, do most of the administration.
Even after so many laws and acts passed in favour of women empowerment, one valid reason that strikes me for the discrimination to be so rampant is the basic definition of the whole problem.
The whole issue should not be conceived as a mere struggle between female and male population but a larger and a much wider fight between human and in human forces. It’s not always necessary that only a female could sympathize with another female’s plight. It could be a male also. The popular idea of gender battle should go. Also, the problems should be openly discussed and acknowledged and for this, the females for once have to agree that they cannot bring the change all by themselves. They have to give in to the fact that, at least for now, they are not equal to the men and so, this is the high time they stopped projecting their equality and work for attaining that. Otherwise, even the last man who would sympathize with them might start thinking other wise.
This problem could be only addressed by a collective force and not by any one individual group.
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This is written on March 22, 2005.
2 comments:
cool shot! where did u find it?
that was from google images..
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