Feminism in Modern Era

Being a woman, I thought what else would be a better topic than Feminism to start with. So I am posting my first blog on Feminism. I want to share my view about Feminism. What has to be perceived by this word and what people or me have actually perceived and why??

Once, I was watching TV in the afternoon. It’s long time back. I was only a child studying in 1st or 2nd(don’t remember exactly) standard, and we didn’t have a bulk of channels like today but Doordarshan. We used to the watch the afternoon show as our favourite Doordarshan were airing some programme for children and some serials for women or better say housewives. My regular serial had just finished but I wanted to sit before TV for some more time. With the next serial, I had an introduction with the terms Feminism and Feminist. Actually that programme was a talk show, where some ladies (they were related to some societies made for women’s welfare) were discussing about equal rights for women like men. And guess, where or in which area they were asking for equal rights for women. I found it too funny even as a child. They were discussing and worried about the fact that a girl has to replace her surname with her husband’s surname. And they were really worried about that fact and according to them a girl looses her identity in this way. The funniest thing that I found was that the president of that certain society added her surname (besides her husband’s surname) to her son’s name.

Sorry, if I am hurting someone’s feelings but I really found this discussion too funny, not only as a child but even now as an adult woman also. There were many serious matters to discuss. They could have discussed about how to improve the girls’ or women’s condition in society, what the problems are and what the obstacles to achieve their goals are. I think that everybody has his/her own identity as an individual which is identified by his/her characters, behaviour ,nature and above all  his/her achievements. If only your surname is your identity, then be sure, your identity is limited to very few people. So please, come out of this circle of your surname and do something so that something else also becomes your identity. Aishwarya’s identity is her acting skill which she did not loose even after her marriage. She is still known as an actress only. When someone hear Mallika Sarabhai, the person perceive an image of a great classical dancer. She is famous and known because of her dancing ability and I don’t think that anybody ever think about her surname. The surname does not matter.that it does not make much difference either to be known as someone’s wife or to be known or someone’s daughter. One creates his/her own identity .I dont think that I can find a better example than Sonia Gandhi in this context.When she came to India after marrying Rajeev Gandhi, she was known only as a daughter-in-law of Gandhi Family for a l ong time.But now, with her active involvement  in country politics, she has developed her own identity.I am not against continuing a girl’s father’s surname even after marriage but I don’t think that it is such a big issue to raise and discuss on the television. In fact I saw it as a family- breaking tool.So this was my first introduction to Feminism. I didn’t think about it for a long time.

In 2003,after a long gap of 11 years (the first introduction in 1991/1992), I got a chance again to come face to face with Feminism and Feminist .And this time, it was in JNU. Everybody knows that student politics secures a very important place in JNU. So there are different political parties with different ideologies. Most of the feminists belongs to SFI,AISA and AISF and I must tell you that these Parties are infamous for their members consuming drugs. This meeting with Feminists made worst image of feminism. To show their equality with their male counterparts, girls were smoking and taking all kinds of drugs, fighting and using all kinds of vulgar words in public. I was really shocked to see this new face of feminism(or if I can say this new face of woman).They are advocating that a girl student should be allowed to wear shorts or minis to the class. Even my teachers, if something bad happens, they don’t need to investigate a matter if a boy is involved in it. Only boy is to be blamed. But they should give their thought to this fact also that sometimes a girl has a larger share if something wrong happens. If both have done a mistake then both should be blamed for it. Why only boys?And as far as smoking and fighting are concerned, they wont make us stand in equal to a man.So one can asks me that do only men have the right to smoke, to speak loudly, to fight and other things and if these are not considered bad for man then why for a woman. My friends, I don’t consider these things are correct even for a man also, but a woman has to take special care for that because she starts a family and children are much more influenced by their mother than by their father. She has to become a mother and therefore she should be able to present herself as an ideal to her children. It does not matter that her children are girls or boys, they get greatly influenced by their mother and learn good things from her .And as you know, mother is most respectable post in this world. More respectable then GOD also. So you need to maintain some dignity. If you are better ,then only you can assure our country a good future. And we all know that smoking is not good for health, neither for man nor for woman. They why to spend money to deteriorate your health…..?!

It was my third semester in JNU when someone asked me that, whether I am a Feminist and I felt like the person has abused me. Yes, this was image my mind has created for this term based on my experiences till now. If feminism is such a bad word, then why this term became so popular. And that was the day when I looked up for this word in encyclopaedia. And I was amazed. Yes, Feminism is actually a very nice word and to be a feminist is a matter of proud. Here I am putting an extract from Wikipedia so that the readers could know the real meaning of feminism. Feminism comprises a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities, and equal rights for women. Feminist political activists have been concerned with issues such as a woman’s right of contract and property, a woman’s right to bodily integrity and autonomy (especially on matters such as reproductive rights, including the right to abortion, access to contraception and quality prenatal care); for protection from domestic violence; against sexual harassment and rape; for workplace rights, including maternity leave and equal pay; and against other forms of discrimination.

After reading this article on feminism, I was just shocked to think over the picture of feminism which some of our dear friends have created. Are they still concerned with the issues mentioned above….at least I don’t think so. These so called feminism are leading our young generation to a wrong way with their self created theory of feminism just to get some votes or get some personal benefits. Even these people don’t follow, what they preach.At last, with a warning to be aware of this feminism, I would like to conclude this post after saying that nowadays; I feel proud being called a feminist, a real feminist.