Riding against the tide often involves bearing the brunt of society’s judgement- a society that makes social constructs that are fallible and biased. Of the many social constructs that have been imposed upon us by the society, the gender quotient is the one that is the most perplexing. In the gender binary, women are expected to be submissive and relegated often only to conventional roles and expectations. However, history testifies to innumerable instances when women have surpassed society’s dictations and carved a niche for themselves.
If one traces back the root of Indian Mythology, one finds several instances where women have been seen as goddesses, embodying Shakti or power. Even in the celestial abode, or Swargalok, when the Gods or Devtas failed to control chaos, it was often the Devi coming to rescue. Whether it is Goddesses Durga destroying the demon Mahisasur or the fierce Kali with her tantric forces, they have generated an aura of infinite strength. Despite such cultural references, society often tries to domesticate women and seem oblivious of their glory. We have become complacent as a society because we have raised women to the pedestal only in mythology and in traditional roles but when it comes to worldly affairs; we think of them as inferior and refuse to give them the rights they deserve.
When it comes to physical strength, our imagination revolves around the masculine figure pumped up and fuelled by adrenaline and testosterone. But ask any physician, the strength required by a woman to give birth to a child and they would testify how that pain would be unbearable and unimaginable for most men. Even, the menstrual pain that people with a uterus often bear is insurmountable, but often goes into hindsight.
Even in the healthcare scenario, the statistics of women’s health standards are appalling. Though women are viewed often as caregivers, providing for the nutrition of the entire family, their health remains neglected. Recent studies show that every 4 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with cancer but due to lack of importance given to women’s health, a large population of women remain untreated.
But what we need to recognise, beyond these iconic images of the woman as a mother or goddess, is that women need not fit into generic roles to be considered supreme. We need to celebrate and respect women for the choices they make, whether they choose to have a profession or want to stay-at-home. Even when it comes to their careers, a woman need not be dominated by the choices of their family members or a male voice to seem plausible and dignified. Whether a woman chooses to be a mother, opt for adoption or remain unmarried, it is HER CHOICE.
It’s time we pay women the honour that they truly deserve for being simply themselves and change our perceptions about how we view women around us.