Re: [nukkad] compres - Feminism and Indian Women Activists

["Samira Razdan" <>]

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My library / Was dukedom large enough. -William Shakespeare, poet and 
dramatist (1564-1616)
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Dr. TV commented ...
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Dr. TV: ... it irks me so much when the so called woman
activists keep blaming the men while the mother in law is almost
always one of the perpetrators.
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Sir, point noted... !! :-)
But, both... men and women form the basic "unit" of human society...
and putting down men while eulogizing women is --not-- the basic
ideology behind women's liberation. Men and women are two sides of
the same coin... and they have to co-exist in every society/culture.
But ... whatever problems Indian women face today... it is not
exactly a woman's problem alone... it is a -human- problem... the
Indian society's problem. :-)

Feminism is not about fighting men. It is about fighting for the
rights of women in the areas of denial.

And I think all Indian women should (be made to) feel that they have
that right... the right to ask for equality where it is denied.

Now, though it is true that men have oppressed women... the women
are also guilty of most of the ills concerning women. The famous
(mother-daughter)in-law "battles"... the dowry deaths where the
mother-in-law is invariably the main culprit... are common tragedies.

Yes, the changes have to come from within the "female stock" itself.
Only then the Indian women can expect respect and a more positive
attitude from the opposite sex towards themselves.

But the journey to "social liberation" is rocky... especially in the
religion-based social Indian culture...
For example... the legendary King Rama (isn't Rama also the convenient
icon of BJP for their political ploy? ;-))... often neglected his
much-idolized wife Seeta and humiliated her in public by asking her
to prove her chastity.

Also, the quote from Tulsidas (the poet who wrote the Ramayana) -
"Dhol ganwarr shudra paashoo narri ...Ye sub taadan ke adhikarri..."
... which roughly means in the whole context of the verse:
"the drum, illiterate, low caste, animals and women must be beaten
to keep them fit" ... may still be taken literally by some "naive"
people. :-)

Many examples of woman "belittlement" are present in the other
religions also.

So... in such a patriarchical, religiously "blessed", gender biased
Indian society where a son is a prized possession and a daughter a
burden... are the women activists being ridiculous and unfair? :-)

The Indian woman has always had the capacity to suffer... and suffer
silently. This malaise has to be removed... and sometimes only a
woman can convince another woman to live her life with dignity and
self-respect. The women activists, themselves... have to overcome
many social "barriers" in the male dominated Indian society to convey
the message of equality to their "weaker sisters".

Sir... the activist's job is not easy and the least we can do is
appreciate their dedication, courage and sincere efforts to help
the oppressed Indian women. :-)

Thanks and Merry Christmas! :-)
Sincerely,
-Sam.












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