International Women’s Day 2017
Every year, world over, March 8th is commemorated as the International Women's Day. Some dedicate it in the honour of women, while some recall values of gender equality on this day. But, in spite of ceaseless efforts of 109 International Women's Days since 1908, the requisite level of status and respect for the women still seems to be farfetched goal. On one hand, women is reaching heights in every field; like-
● Kalpana Chawla, Sunita Williams, Valentina Tereshkova, Ellen Collins, etc. in the field of space travel;
● Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, P.V.Sindhu, M.C.Mary Kom, Sakshi Malik, etc. in sports and athletics;
● Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chandra Kochar, Indra Nooyi, etc. in finance and entrepreneurship;
● Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, etc. in biotechnology for the development of industrial enzymes.
However, on the other hand, one gets to see the stupendously rising crime and violence against women. This comes as a paradoxical portrayal on the delicate wrap and woof of social fabric, thereby disrupting its fine balance.
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... In the year 1992, a book titled 'Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus' authored by John Gray, an American writer cum consultant became an international bestseller. Gray's concept of men and women being from different planets, therefore, being 180 degree opposite to each other behaviorally, was endorsed by many people across the world. Also, why to ignore the recent video that went viral on social media promoting: 'Boys don't cry, because crying is a girl's job'.
It is sad that statements like- now the society has changed or these biases were order of the old world, or we are not into such stereotypes are actually a myth of the so-called modern world. The bitter truth is that even today there exists a wide gap between men and women. If it is not so, then why it happens that you feel more elated on sending your son offshore for higher studies than your daughter? ...Why on seeing a car going haywire, the first reaction is- it has to be a lady? ...
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It is because the invisible glass ceiling in the form of gender based discrimination and gender stereotyping is absorbed in the society's mental skeleton...
How to break this invisible glass ceiling? Which dimension is still unexplored by women in today's time? How to celebrate the real womanhood, to know this and furthermore, read the complete article in the Mar'17 edition of English Akhand Gyan Monthly Magazine.
