Article written by the 21 year old me, worried of citing the source. Cringe version on WWW. DEVILONHEELS.BLOGSPOT.COM
I switched on the television the other day and stumbled upon a program on a national news channel that grabbed my attention. It proclaimed the past year as the "Year of Women" and asserted that today's women were soaring without wings! This made me contemplate whether the previous year had genuinely been the year of women. Had India's society transitioned from male dominance to a place where women were given equal significance?
I suppose the answer is maybe.
The introduction of 33% reservation in parliament, separate queues in public places, and reserved seats in public transport seem to indicate progress. But does this mean that women are truly treated as more than equals or at least as equals? I don't think so.
While there is reserved representation in parliament, has anyone considered the hardships women politicians endure before they receive their party's nomination? Money-minded and perverted politicians ensure that many of these women face their share of torment!
Separate queues in public places might be a positive measure introduced by the government to protect vulnerable women from those who see them as objects and think it's acceptable to grope them. And yes, seats reserved in public transport provide some level of convenience. However, can you stop men from staring at women as if they were mere pieces of meat?
It's time for a change. It's time for men to change. Merely educating them will not guarantee respect for women. Education doesn't alter the mindset of individuals. In fact, many rapists in India have graduated from some of the country's best colleges! The one thing that needs to change is men's attitude. I would consider this nearly impossible, or rather, it's impossible to change the perspective of men worldwide, isn't it? So let's focus on what we can do. Let's demand a change in the punishment given to these men. No more 14 days in jail followed by bail and years of waiting for a verdict. Let's establish separate courts that provide judgments within a specified timeframe, and the punishments should range from several years in prison to the death penalty. It's time we stand firm and make women feel safe!
The women of today don't seek to be treated better than men or demand more privileges. All we ask for is freedom—freedom to express our thoughts without being told to stay within limits or maintain decorum, freedom to fight against injustice, and freedom to live without fear. We want the freedom to soar and fly, even without wings!