The International Women’s Day website says that women’s day “has been observed since the early 1900’s”. Throughout the rest of the page, it goes on to chronicle some of the milestones in women’s fight for their rights. I do not have any doubts regarding the life-changing achievements of those great women. But my question is what took them so long? Why does it seem that the last century was the only time in history when women dared ask for equality? Civilizations, at least the well-known ones, have been patriarchal throughout thousands of years of human existence. Is that an indication of women’s real place in society? Are we getting it all wrong?
Our daily language and lifestyle has been so entrenched with feminist rhetoric that no one dares ask these questions out loud any more. It is considered so un-PC to question women’s rights that even ultra-conservative Muslims in God-forsaken deserts would try to disguise such insinuations under subtle patronizing tones. Yet history, religion, and even biology seem to conspire against women. I have yet to hear of a male colleague calling in sick because of a really bad PMS!
So fellow feminists, if you will excuse me, I really want to know whether we are doing the right thing or not. I do not mean to snub years of struggle and suffering to enjoy the rights we currently do. I am simply wondering for the hell of it. After all, freedom of thought is what you worked so darn hard for, right?
Of course, this does not mean at all that I will give up driving that monstrous truck any time soon. Nor will I stop going to work, studying for grad school, caring for my lovely 2-year old, or doing house chores. But at the end of one of those daunting days, I can’t help but wonder.
(Painting by Sara Shamma)
Our daily language and lifestyle has been so entrenched with feminist rhetoric that no one dares ask these questions out loud any more. It is considered so un-PC to question women’s rights that even ultra-conservative Muslims in God-forsaken deserts would try to disguise such insinuations under subtle patronizing tones. Yet history, religion, and even biology seem to conspire against women. I have yet to hear of a male colleague calling in sick because of a really bad PMS!
So fellow feminists, if you will excuse me, I really want to know whether we are doing the right thing or not. I do not mean to snub years of struggle and suffering to enjoy the rights we currently do. I am simply wondering for the hell of it. After all, freedom of thought is what you worked so darn hard for, right?
Of course, this does not mean at all that I will give up driving that monstrous truck any time soon. Nor will I stop going to work, studying for grad school, caring for my lovely 2-year old, or doing house chores. But at the end of one of those daunting days, I can’t help but wonder.
(Painting by Sara Shamma)