Women’s Day, So what?

The fervour with which all daily newspapers remind us of Women’s Day is approaching and the festive look that the malls don around 8th of March every year, really must mean something BIG and IMPORTANT is about to happen. Right?

WRONG.

I don’t see what is the significance of the day, when we are continually involved in the daily rigmarole of trying to ‘prove’ ourselves equal or better than Men, or trying to thwart the attempts of the so called Moral Police Brigade that is thrusting us back indoors?

Just last month, the outrageous incident of women being beaten up in a Mangalore pub made headlines. And on 8th March, I saw no posters, Ads or women lib events (in Bangalore) referring to that shameful incident. I scanned the papers to look for any action taken as promised by the authorities to book the guilty. I was disappointed. None made headlines, or at least I didn’t come across any significant news about the same.

So what is the whole celebration about? Whats the big deal? The ‘capitalization’ of Women’s Day seems to be the only working ‘winning’ strategy to boost the morale of the Indian women.

According to the newspapers, it is the time when women investors ought to be wooed by financial institutions (quoting Hillary Clinton). Lusty ads of women specific discounts spanned the newspapers. From watches to jewellery, from furniture to electronics goods, from fine dining to holiday packages – they were all aimed at making my Women’s Day worthwhile.

One encouraging ad I saw was about health care packages that promoted awareness about cervical cancer and a discounted checkup in that regard.

So, as most women, I too went shopping on 8th March, responding to the several discount offers and made the most of it. But I knew I don’t have to wait for Women’s Day to get that heavy discount, since most commercial establishments put up such sale all the time.

So what is it that Women’s Day should give me that I don’t get any other day of the year?
Should it not give me a firm reassurance that my freedom is not curtailed by any organized hooligans? Should it not give me a firm belief that my work place will be more open minded about having a woman boss? Should the day not make me feel happy that I am a woman and so I am special?

Frankly 8th March gives me nothing of that sort; instead I just have some heavy shopping bags, aching feet, and a very light wallet at the end of the day.

A very temporary day I must say.

Should I join others in a protest rally to 'feel' or 'celebrate' womanhood? Do I do enough to make Women's Day worthwhile for others, instead of choosing to go shopping? I ask myself this knowing very well that the common attitude is to take a backseat.

Leave it to the college students and Women Lib organisations to take up the cause of sisterhood -- this has been the common plan of action for most women including myself. Is that wrong? I guess not.

I don't have to pick up a stake to drive it into the hearts of 'moral brigade' men to celebrate Women's Day. I don't have to look into the eyes of a Muthalik and scream abuses at him to bring justice for my sisterhood. I don't need to add yet another pink chaddi to the existing mountain of pink panties. I also don't need to respond to the many sale ads to celebrate.

But I could do two things to show solidarity with my kind - sms each of the women in my address book and wish them on the day (if nothing else, it shows them I care), and to pen a blog (which you are reading now). These two things give me only a satisfaction that the Day has been observed by me and to say what I have to say about it - "Women's Day, so what?"