Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Feminism ..and something extra

I know am treading upon a topic which has never seen light beyond controversies, and on a blog like mine where the stuffs that I talk of are so subtle and 'non-taboo' such a topic is the last thing one should think about writing! But at times, the things that you read or certain people whom you interact with forces you to delve upon such thoughts. And added to it the idle-time you get in the office cab while you commute to-and-fro.. thats one time you don't want to think about your work in office or home, and so such thoughts creep in.

That ends the disclaimers :-)

It was probably on one such mid-week cab-drive did my mind wander to the word feminism. My dictionary here screams that it means "A doctrine that advocates equal rights for women". Now,don't start panicking. Neither am I going to talk of Parliament and Women's Bills nor am I going to narrate some incident where I was fighting Woman's most-hated enemy named Man and was made to feel that I was not given any rights.

If the dictionary is anything to go by, I would be proud to say am a hard-core feminist at heart. Any woman for that would be proud, ain't she? But calling myself a feminist makes me as uncomfortable as a baby in wet diapers. Now why is this so...I probed.

Would I mind if a guy opened the door for me? No, I wouldn't.
Would I mind if a guy opened the door for me EVERY TIME??? I wouldn't. Seriously I wouldn't!! I mean, why should women make such a hue and cry for such a small thing and tag it with feminism and adulterate the very essence of the word??? Off late, this is just what women talk in the name of feminism! If a man does some(any)thing for her which probably she can do it herself, she screams to the world that her rights are violated, that man sees her as inferior, writes blogs on her strengths, writes columns in magz...phew! C'mon darling-women, let them pamper you, what difference does it make on who opened the door??

Women are so much obsessed about giving new meanings to feminism that they themselves forget what they are there for! Independence, freedom, liberation and other fanciful words have been etched to their thoughts so much that feminism probably now means "A doctrine that advocates women do not need men".

If moving out and "living independently" at the age of twenty-something, blogging about your sexuality so loudly that it makes it seem so obscene and still claiming you don't need a man for anything, even for reproducing is considered the classic epitome of new-age feminism..then sorry, no, am not a feminist! Wake up women, Please don't over-do things!! This ain't the stuff that the dictionary says!

Disclaimer 2 : Please understand, I am a women too. I wouldn't want to be a down trodden. But the essence of this post is I wouldn't believe that any man would think I am down-trodden if he opens the door for me! This is my opinion, my blog and if you think I have disappointed you, so be it!

6 comments:

sandeep said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rat said...

oreyy kalippu thanne! enthaa ibdippo undaaye ?! aarelum door thorannu thanno ? Athithra balya prashnamaano ? aano.. no.. o..

vimalgasper said...

Feminism should be a feeling within every women that drives her in competing at equal levels with men. But, the spokespersons and advocates of feminism have bundled it with women's reservation and being in a man's world. It would have been much better if they could channel there energy for upliftment of women and their education so that they know who they are.

Anju said...

good attempt! :-) This was the first thing i read after coming to office today.. :-)

Unknown said...

Just stumbled up on your blog .Nice one. It's a practice in west to open the door for women not because she is weak but because she is powerful to have men to do that for her . Just another reason why Men are called "Gentlemen"!

Unknown said...

Many times when women have opened door for me, I was more than excited. To think that someone opening a door for you is a sign of your weakness is so puerile.

This condition is also called 'inferiority complex'.

"The thing women have got to learn is that nobody gives you power. You just take it." - Roseanne Barr