VDay : Until the Violence Stops!

VDay apparently is not only another hue of feminism but also the dead end of feminism. A survey conducted by a feminist writer depicts that girl students cannot buy the word ‘feminism’ as it implies hating men and indulging in male-bashing which is grossly ERRONEOUS. Feminism in reality connotes ‘equality of sexes’ and ‘empowerment of women’. VDay is the new entrant into the world of phenomenon that seeks to create a safe and peaceful environment for women over the world.

The concept of VDay is inspired by Eve Enslers play “Vagina Monologues” that hit the famous Broadway theatre in the late 90s to showcase violence suffered by women across the world. In India the play has already been staged twice and now it made a comeback with VDay 2009, to stop assault against women. The play is directed by Mahabano Mody Kotwal of ‘Kumars at Number 42’ fame. That’s how I know her. I first watched her in that comedy soap opera on Star World, when I was in higher secondary. It was a witty show with wry humor. Sadly, it’s not on air anymore. I wish she made a comeback with that show as well. Eve Ensler spoke to about 200 women across the world and wrote this play, that portrays violence on women in the 90s. The very title of the play has shock value and one ponders why it had been named so? Vagina comes into play in most of the experiences of a woman’s life. It could be love, sex, menstruation, birth, orgasm or simply a physical aspect of the body.

As you can see, it is a monologue and not a dialogue. A monologue is when a person speaks to oneself. The other characters in the play cannot hear the initiated character but the audience can. It is a monologue because society compels a woman to push these experiences under the carpet, stuff meant to be locked in a closet and not to be uttered aloud! As a literature student, I’m drawn and inclined to theatre because Drama is a literary genre. People often confuse Shakespeare to a writer or novelist but he is first a playwright and all his plays were written to be performed and staged. Drama is a powerful tool: a voice for change and a call to action. Every monologue in the play is associated with Vagina. I have not watched the play but as a literature enthusiast read the same. One monologue goes “my vagina was my village”, which chronicles the witnesses of women put in rape camps, in Bosnia. The play keeps adding new monologues every year with more and more women being upfront and outspoken about the violence meted out to them.

‘Progressive’, is the apt word in todays global context; with the coming of age of science and technology but unfortunately violence against women never stops. There are stray instances of a Swapna who died of acid attack recently, of Rehanna, the popstar who was beaten black and blue by her boyfriend, of a school girl molested by a bus conductor and nevertheless the Mangalore pub attack on women. They might be strangers but they are bounded by a common thread of violence. Why? Because they are the fairer sex and can be taken for granted? Its time we say enough is enough and make the elusive goal of eve emancipation a reality!

Fecund, Feminine and Fabulous

Today is Holi and alas I got an off on weekday after ages I guess. I have already written two posts and aspire to finish this one too. The very title of the post indicates it’s got something to do with qualities that characterize women or about women. Apparently when will women’s concerns end? When will they stop crying for rights? How long will women need idols to look up to and set trends for them? Feminists, chauvinists, you, me and sundry seem to have a laundry list of questions such as these. These questions do not need a brainstorming answer. The answer is rather simple-women’s concerns will end when society will become an equitable one and not characterized by patriarchy, when it stops to blame women for everything and when men will look upon their spouses as their equals and share responsibilities.

This womens day, lets look at the new age woman- where does she stand today and what did she achieve? On womens day, the first few from whom I received wishes and compliments for being a woman were men. One of them was my MA classmate and another was my colleague who sent a text message saying “you make us proud”. I felt the winds of change have certainly hit men. Today if women are successful and pioneers, it’s because the credit goes to men also. They have become profusely acceptable of women and the unseen, unheard, women-barely-entered spaces women foray into. They no longer say- it is not viable for women but believe in our potential and extend their unrelenting support to us.

Women like chanda kochar (joint deputy manger and to be CEO of ICICI), Indira Nooyi (CEO of PepsiCo), Ekta Kapoor, Kiran Mazumdar and the umpteen successful women in the corporate world busted the myth of glass-ceiling. A woman VP in our organization said that it is self inflicted. Our organization believes in gender diversity and I will vouch for it, as I personally never suffered a gender bias. My acumen is definitely valued over my gender. Most of us lose opportunities by merely imagining obstacles. This mindset of women in corporate world and any other male bastion should change. However issues like unequal pay and harder work, lack of negotiating skills leave women vulnerable. Issues like these should be tackled before they could grow into problems. Both the organization and employees should mutually work at it.

One of my aunt works as a lecturer in South Africa and ostensibly there are lesser crimes against women compared to any other region in the world. Gandhi’s idea of freedom holds true to that country as women can walk on the roads at midnight sans apprehensions of being attacked, assaulted, molested and teased. I salute her husband who has no qualms about her working so far away from him. She is lucky to have a husband who respects her stance and lets her pursue a career and thus satisfy her creative urges. Today any woman who is a globe trotterer is no longer seen as an adventuress but a woman of spirit.

A smut on the achievements of women is gender cleansing. The ratio in India stands at 927 women per 1000 men. Sex determination test is a punishable offence but is still carried in some places especially rural India. More awareness has to be created and this should be averted. We must accept that rural women have different paradigms of life from urban women.

Nevertheless, the new age woman scripts her own success stories, enters into a workable marriage of her choice where there is honesty, intimacy and space to make decisions. She flaunts her assets with the same panache as she flaunts her sexuality. She wants a career for her creative outlets and for economic self sufficiency and carved an identity for herself that is no longer defined by domesticity or relationships but comes across as a person with a strong sense of self and self worth. Might I add she wins battles with masculine skills.

PS: The new woman, like me, also blogs to voice her angst, express outrage and disapproval, fulfill the need for acceptance and approval and to speak out. We seek treasure and pleasure!

Conversations and Observations in 2009

You all will more than concur with me that time is moving in the blink of an eye. Having said that, 2009 opened to a string of significant happenings and events. No sooner were we reeling under the terrorist attack, we found talibanisation of women in Bangalore. I’m afraid it might happen in Hyderabad though Hyderabad is a symbol of freedom and showcases a cosmopolitan attitude.

Jaago Re India campaign has started creating awareness in 2008 and is leaving no stone unturned to make people of India to vote and choose their leader. This phenomenon is here to stay. While Jaago Re takes pot shots at you on its site by saying “so you decided to finally wake up”, the brainchild behind the Jaago Re campaign also woke up finally to wake the country up. I believe and stand up for this noble cause because jingoistic fervour for nation is not just chanting slogans like mera bharat mahan, ye mera India, mother India, proud to be an India, occasionally twice in a year on republic day and independence day or for that matter fawning over India at the recent Oscars for slumdogMillionaire. It’s very much about being aware of your right to vote and use the power invested in you to vote for change rather than be a mute spectator.

I exercised my first vote in the recent state MLA elections. I voted for the leader I wanted to lead our constituency and that leader emerged victorious. I was satisfied and happy that my vote contributed to that leader’s victory. The same happened for Indian Idol. My brother and I voted for Saurabhee, India’s first woman idol in the last five minutes and we made her win. Of course in such reality shows you can vote innumerable times, whereas in elections, where you vote for the government of your choice, your single vote will make a world of difference; unlike reality shows it will not get diluted.

I solicit and urge each one of you to exercise your vote and make democracy work for you. Do vote for a party that is unbiased and not prejudiced to a religion but a party that is secular. I will NOT vote for a party that rides roughshod over minorities like the recent attacks against Christians in Orissa and Bangalore; and a party that stands for talibanisation of women and try to sap our autonomy and independence ; and a party that concocts religion with politics and politics with religion. Religion and politics should be sequestered.

News channels are crying hoarse as to how terrorism has not spared the cricketers and one channel puts it “there is an uncanny resemblance between the attacks in Lahore and Mumbai. When the gunmen have not spared innocent people, why will their plans exclude the cricketers is what I fail to understand. How can it be a bizarre similarity when it is crystal clear that the same gunmen shot the cricketers too.

On the other side, we have Lalit Modi, chairman of IPL who is adamant to hold IPL inspite of elections and the security issues. He is in no mood to compromise with the dates or postpone the same. Whether the IPL will kick off and how far will the dates not clash with election is one that we have to wait and watch.

As far as movies are concerned, 2009 has in store for us a bouquet of some assorted, formulaic movies. I watched some good ones like Arundathi (Telugu), slumdog millionaire, Delhi 6 and pink panther 2 hitherto.

So much has happened in a span of 3 months and we are catching up with the pace too.
I wonder what the rest of the year holds for us. Touchwood!