This Women's Day, Let's Go Beyond the Symbolism and Bandwagons

This Women's Day, Let's Go Beyond the Symbolism and Bandwagons

I'm not an antagonist, but I believe that what's wrong remains wrong, no matter how many people agree with it. With this in mind, I'd like to present a critical perspective on International Women's Day. The annual celebration on March 8 has become a ritualistic affair, with corporations, governments, and individuals jumping on the bandwagon to proclaim their support for women's empowerment. However, beneath the veneer of solidarity and feminist fervour, one cannot help but wonder if this day has become more of a symbolic gesture than a genuine call to action.

On the surface, Women's Day appears to be a celebration of women's achievements and a recognition of the struggles they face. Companies tout their diversity and inclusion initiatives, governments announce new policies aimed at promoting gender equality, and social media is flooded with messages of empowerment and solidarity. But scratch beneath the surface, and one finds a more nuanced reality.

For instance, many corporations that proudly declare their commitment to women's empowerment on Women's Day are the same ones that perpetuate gender-orientated advertising, pay their female employees lower wages, and fail to promote women to leadership positions. Governments that announce new policies for Women's Day often fail to implement them effectively, leaving women's rights to languish in legislative limbo. And even when they do implement these policies, the impact is often limited, with only a few hundred women benefiting, leaving the majority still struggling to make ends meet.

Moreover, the way Women's Day is celebrated often reinforces the very stereotypes it seeks to challenge. The emphasis on women's "achievements" and "success stories" creates a narrative that women are only worthy of celebration when they conform to traditional notions of success. This neglects the experiences of women who do not fit into these narrow definitions, such as stay-at-home mothers or women with disabilities.

Furthermore, the commercialization of Women's Day has turned it into a marketing opportunity, with companies using the day to sell products and services to women. This not only undermines the seriousness of the issues women face but also reinforces the notion that women's empowerment can be achieved through consumerism.

However, I'd like to challenge the very notion of "women's empowerment." Women don't need empowerment; they're already empowered. What they need is recognition, uplift, and support. They need us to acknowledge the inherent strength and resilience that has always defined them. They need us to create a world where they can thrive without being held back by systemic inequalities and biases.

So, how can we truly celebrate Women's Day? Rather than relying on symbolic gestures and empty rhetoric, we need to focus on tangible actions that address the systemic inequalities women face. This means holding corporations and governments accountable for their actions, rather than just their words. It means listening to and amplifying the voices of marginalized women, rather than just celebrating the successes of a privileged few. But it also means acknowledging our own role in perpetuating these inequalities, as members of a society that often undermines women's rights and strength. We must recognize that we are all complicit in this narrative, and that our individual actions and choices can either reinforce or challenge these biases.

Ultimately, Women's Day should not be a day of self-congratulation and platitudes, but a call to action. It should be a reminder that we need to work together to create a world where women can live without fear, discrimination, or marginalization. We need to recognize that women's rights are human rights, and that their uplift is our collective responsibility.

Women and Men, let us together create a Society where Equality Nurtures..

- Janhavi D.

Credits - Prachi Dudhane