THE FAILING FEMINISM

 

The word feminism began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, when three hundred men and women rallied to the cause of equality for women. Feminism and patriarchy have always been topics to discuss, whether on social media platforms or news channels. feminism and patriarchy, We never get enough of these two words, and we define them in our own way. Every person has their own vision and perspective on feminism. Some women are feminists, some are not, and the same is true for the men in the world. There will be arguments, discussions, and comments about how patriarchy is overtaking feminism and vice versa. I watched and read thousands of interviews and stories before writing this piece. Because it is important that people are well researched and informed. And if we are talking about feminism, we need to be well prepared, right? Let’s have a little glimpse at how it all started in the first place.

A girl was born on January 3, 1831, in Satara District, and she was later the first female teacher in India and headmistress. Savitribai Phule, an Indian social reformer and later feminist activist, started speaking about women's rights and equality. She wasn’t educated enough to know about feminists. At the time of her marriage, Jyotirao's husband encouraged her, and later she signed up for a teaching programme. After completing the teaching programme, Savtribai and Jyotirao started a school called Bhide Wada, which was the home of Tatya Saheb Bhide, who was inspired by the work that the trio was doing. Their curriculum taught math, science, and social science, along with western traditions and culture. Later, by 1851, they were running three schools in Pune. Being in a conservative society is difficult because you get views from people you don’t know, but Savtribai believed in herself, and later she opened two trusts dedicated to women's empowerment and education. 

 

The most important part of our lives is listening and learning, and since we are talking, our very first school where a child learns how to behave in the outside world comes from home and their parents. Women play a vital role in our lives and in society as well. And I believe that if we don’t give them a chance to grow and improve, there will be no improvement at all. Decades and centuries have passed, but no one knows the true meaning of being a feminist. Real feminism is about equality; it's not about physical equality but more about careers and the opportunities we give to men and women. I have seen people partialize between the two. If I say people believe, or even teachers believe, that God made us equal, then why have only women seen difficulties? Being a housemaker in an office means that every day there is news and tabloids filled with crime against women just because their family doesn’t want them to work. Infants are killed just because of a boy. Why do people say they can do that like he does? Why don’t we change it and say, "Can you do that like she does?

It’s 2021, and still there are quotes, books, interviews, and discussions telling people how to empower women one way or another. And there is one common thing we all see, and if you have noticed enough, "the world has changed from decade to decade," and if you are close enough, "it has changed but not developed enough to think in a straight line. But somehow, at other points where women uplift another woman, they backstab each other in the name of feminism. This is the kind of world we live in. People harm other humans just because they want to be praised and raised. Quotes have been reposted on social media stories and other platforms about patriarchy and feminism, and these things are getting better. And I have a question for you: if you believe that the world has changed or is developing towards women, why are people even writing quotes and making others understand the word feminism? There should be no need for quotes if the world has changed enough.

 

And the other day I was using Instagram. See, we are all doomed by the way people present their lives, and we like to see them, but that’s not the point. I read a quote that I think will stick with me forever: "Parents should never put their daughters in a position where any random person can come in and reject them based on their complexion, weight, facial features, height, level of ambition, etc. Why would you want some asshole to have tea with you and count your child's 'flaws?" and somehow it is justifiable in our society that people or elders in our society still give priority to the beauty of the face or anything? It is so fragile that we blame companies and organisations for putting labels on it, but it should be started at home itself.

It is very sad for our society that women still get labelled and validated because of the flaws they carry instead of the beauty inside them. It is even more devastating that people in our country encourage this kind of behaviour. That is why I think this world has too much to do before it’s too late.

 

 
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