Women Empowerment - a threat or progress?

       As I write today, I write with a heavy heart but an open mind. I write about myself. I write about the gender I am; which is my identification. I write about every other person belonging to my gender. I write about WOMEN. I write about US.
Ever since I came into this world I have witnessed an unusual and a pretty pointless race between genders which is never ending. There is some sort of competition through which everyone is trying to prove the worth and importance of the existence of their gender. My question is WHY? Since when we had to prove our worth to each other when we were already created with a purpose. They say that Education can solve every single issue but does it, really? If so, then why do I see educated men restricting their wives, sisters and daughters from working or continuing their degrees? Why do I see multiple children for the desire of a male child? And if education would really solve these issues then WHY on the Earth I still see Parents fixing marriages of their daughters without their consent and they are forced to marry someone whom they do not even consider, whereas, they ask for the happiness of their sons a million times before taking any decision which is probably the biggest decision of one's life. Why little girls are raped brutally and why single mothers are seen with a frog eye? Why a girl has no right to simply say NO if she desires because she will have to face another acid attack? My friends, if I start this, it won't end forever because there are so many WHYs and so many IFs n BUTs when it comes to women. Hence, education is not the only way to get rid of these WHYs. I believe, its more about awareness and acceptability. As we are progressing and the world has become a competitive stage of life, its time we think out of the box and actually come out of our bubble.

     Like I said earlier, its more about acceptability and awareness among people then its very important to raise such girls who can become empowered women and most of all raise such boys who become accepting and supporting men. The word Empowerment is most of the time misunderstood or lets say misinterpreted in today's world. When we talk about women empowerment we even include the ones working as maids and cleaning houses, we include single mothers and the ones who are playing the role of breadwinners of their house, we even include the differently abled or wheelchair bound women, we include the janitors and the CEOs leading organizations. We include every single woman including housewives and taxi drivers. Women empowerment does not mean the amount in your hand or the financial status of your account. It simply means to be able to take a stand for yourself and your rights, to acknowledge your part in the society and make your own decisions. Empowerment comes when you no longer require the approval or stamp of anyone and do not care what others think of you. It comes when you start living your life with the acknowledgement of your societal, generic, economical, political, domestic and decision making rights.

    A number of campaigns have started to promote and support women rights by the UN and Hollywood such as Times Up Movement and He For She (started by Emma Watson) and Women's Day March. Recently, Oprah Winfrey received Cecil B. de Mille Award at the 2018 Golden Globes in which she highlighted the struggles Rosa Parks went through in order to get justice.
"I want all the girls watching here and now to know that a new day is on the horizon," said the actress, producer and media mogul. "And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women .. and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders that take us to the time when nobody has to say 'me too' again."
She further added, "What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have," she said. "And I'm especially proud [of] and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories. Each of us in this room is celebrated because of the stories that we tell, and this year we became the story. But it's not just a story affecting the entertainment industry. It's one that transcends any culture, geography, race, religion, politics or workplace. So I want tonight to express gratitude to all the women who have endured years of abuse and assault because they, like my mother, had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue."
In the middle of the speech she talked about Recy Taylor , a 24-year-old black mother who in 1944 was kidnapped and brutally raped by three white men in Alabama. "The men who tried to destroy her were never persecuted. Recy Taylor died 10 days ago, just shy of her 98th birthday. She lived, as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by brutally powerful men. For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up!"

What a phenomenal speech! I have always been a great great fan of Oprah Winfrey anyway.. \

     Dear Readers, I know this is all very confusing for you all. But let me help you here. This all was told to enlighten you with women empowerment. The WHYs were highlighted to get into notice. I firmly believe that both the genders should support each other rather then filling the lifetime form for a useless competition that will lead to nowhere. There are a number of accomplishments by women belonging to every race, caste, creed or religion but again, there are some who do not get any kind of support or acknowledgement. Its time to start speaking for others and for yourself because no one else will do the honors until or unless you decide to take a stand. So is women empowerment a threat or a progress? You decide.

  Be real and be you. Be the kind of women YOU want to become. Live the life you have imagined for yourself. And if anyone talks at your back, thats where they belong, at your back, YOU LEAD!!

A very Happy Women's Day to all the beautiful ladies around the world.