Every year when I try to write a post every year on March 8 (Women's day),thoughts of mine hover around the concept ''Beyond Gender''.Thanks to the ongoing pandemic decade.I am at luck whereby this year,I only had an opportune time to send ''Empowerment message'' to my esteemed colleagues as reminded by a group mail at my workstation.I am obliged to thank Mr.Faizan Mustafa (read Hindu Editorial on March 10,2021) for reminding me to write this customary post after a week ,by throwing in my vocabulary tantrums on the reader.
I am at 30 believing that this stage is the prime age of my sexuality.Understanding the gender bias and realising the full potential of any inherent hidden desires help a human maintain a balanced inner being.So when narrowing down to the intellectually baked concept of ''women empowerment'',what is left to discuss? Every man today proclaim to be feminist and we have pro-feminist awards too.We talk openly about domestic violence, marital rape etc.Women empowerment is already on the forge of a sieged throne.The very recent election manifesto in the state of Tamilnadu too revolves around the '' Right to be paid'' for domestic chores and women thus are empowered in all manner.Isn't that the truth!!So as a man in 30 I still don't understand what further empowerment is required? Ain't that the typical response of any man terribly occupied with the idea of clean slate assured lifestyle?? Sadly, YES.
The idea of gender, sex, sexuality have been terribly misunderstood and is either overrated or never discussed upon.True that women of the millennials have come out of the cocoon and started spreading wings, but had the political and social sceptre of power shared equally among genders?The world as well the key corporations that runs the world economy haven't yet given a chance to a woman to key the power epitome.The comments and curations on the recent judicial controversies (recent remarks of the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India which were later retracted) stands proof for our understanding on the gender.With all due respect to the judicial system, it is a vivid black blot on the attitude of men towards victimised women.
When I try to analyse the childhood of an iGen and Gen alpha kid, statistics paint only a poor portrait.With all technological inundations fleecing with hyper emotional content, the narrative of sexuality is not provided to the kid in a guided form.The result being that the kid grows up to a pseudo liberal-feminist without connecting to the ground reality of gender issues.A way forward rebel thought of ''Beyond Gender'' though is the solution,the question is whether the society is ready to accept a child as a child first, rather than stamping it as a girl or a boy.Similarly, the privileges that are enjoyed by a male juxtaposed by the socio-political atmosphere need to be systematically shared by the genders both within home and society.It becomes essential to understand that gender/sex is just an extension of our biological being on earth and has nothing to do with our rights or chores to be performed under a patriarchal hierarchy.
All said and done, resistance to change is an inherent human tendency and by scientific facts it has been established that women are adaptable to dynamic changes and men prefer the status quo.Status quo is the symbol of an average mind.As a message to invoke stirrings in the minds of men, it now becomes essential to accept the dynamics of the time and repose peace via shared rights to all genders socially, politically and most importantly with the centric idea of being human.Happy Women's day!!
