We are a country that wants quotas for females in the political system.
We are a country that makes the maximum noise for anti-dowry laws.
We are a country that has politicians going at loggerheads over women empowerment.
Yet, we are THE country most notorious for its rapes of women.
Off late, rapes of females in their juvenile form.
In their most innocent and simple form.
I am a female. I got upset, anguished and scared all at the same time when the 'Nirbhay' case came to light. I felt insecure and doomed as a lady. I feared going out on the Indian roads alone even during the day times. I slowly reconciled, despite her losing her life's battle falling prey to someone's crave for lust.
I am a mother. I got mad, enraged and scared again. This time when the Bangalore 6 year old girl rape came to news. This time double scared since I am a mother to two small girls. I am supposed to protect them. They are my life-long responsibility. How can I protect them from monsters when I am already scared about myself?
Each morning I walk my 4 year old daughter to the bus stop. One morning the bus was empty at her stop and she was the only child on the bus till the next stop. I had to make the quick decision to hop on the bus with her and not let her be ferried alone, in this mad world. Why am I forced to live in this fear? I gave birth to two beautiful girls thinking they will have just as good or maybe a better living than I have. But how can they have even a peaceful existence at best if at each turn, there is a set of eyes stripping them down.
Back to the morning bus stroll with the daughter. While we wait for the bus to come, we are forced to see 3-4 male laborers taking a half naked bath in the open. I always turn my gaze away giving them their moment of privacy. One morning, a female labourer was also taking a bath there, complete with her sari on. The neighbours guard and servant looked on for the complete 5 minutes without as much as blinking an eye. Is it about education or simply being a male? What is it? If Iam looking away while a male is bathing in open vision, then why can't two men also look away if a fully clad woman is forced to bathe in the open? Are males that disgusted or frustrated in life? Disclaimer for stereotyping the 'superior sex' but the way things are in our country today, it just gets you so anguished that you are forced to brand all alike.
When will we begin to look at a female for anything else but her body?
When will we let little girls just be what they are? Small little girls!
When will we let mothers like me live in peace with themselves and for their girls?
Life is about living, enjoying and loving and not merely about rage, fear and lust!
Think about it, boys!
P.S. The tone of my blog is nowhere near the anguish I feel about this issue. I have tried to keep my tone as mellowed so someone can understand.
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