"Woe" MENs Day

March 8th is around the corner. If you haven't still been invited to a panel discussion, debate or awards ceremony to felicitate women consider yourself lucky! Don't get me wrong but till date I have never understood what this fuss is all about.The level of celebration has been taken up a notch. Pink balloons and roses at work, thank you cards and what not. While I am not an anti-feminist each year I wonder if something meaningful can be done this day for the women it actually matters. Gender equality, pay gap issues are all great topics for panel discussion around like minded people in an environment that is doing almost everything right to be conducive to woman. I will say this aloud. I am happy in my current state of being a working woman and the only real issue I may want to discuss is how to empower women who aren't as lucky as me to get here. I understand the intentions around the hype surrounding this day. But can this be channeled to something meaningful? Even if it's to use this day as an excuse it still is worth it. 

Instead of organizing another panel discussion maybe take the action item from the last one and implement it. Instead of a social media status wishing all the women in your life, take that time to maybe do something for your house maid or nanny who may need this validation more than anyone else. How about avoiding yet another awards ceremony and instead hold a skill development workshop by the award winners? Get the drift? 


Today my daughter asks me when is man's day? She doesn't see why there is a fuss and that is a subtle but powerful change right? Tomorrow if we can help make even a tiniest bit of change in a woman's life consider that a winner. While we keep encouraging woman and leverage this day to the maximum, let's not forget the larger issues looming large? Of course there are tons of great things that have started happening thanks to the day. I am not taking away the significance but urging people to look at a slightly bigger picture. 


On a lighter note, I will shamelessly admit I look forward to the sales and promotions across town to celebrate this day. That's another post for another day. Its amazing how everyone knows what a woman wants.

Pic courtesy: Inedible India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Made of Chennai

Image
  The most common adage you hear when you say Chennai is "Madras is an emotion". The metamorphosis of Madras and it's old world charm to the current Chennai of CSK fame is something that only hard-core Chennaites or if you must Madrasis understand. Growing up in the area Mylapore (South Chennai) that is synonymous with filter coffee, temples, classical music and dance scene , I have always had a part of this city in me.  Something as simple as the Vinayagar Chaturthi celebrations in the Warren road pillayar kovil formed the basis of many friendships and cultural exchanges in my life. While the beach made for a simple outing on Sunday evenings with family where the sand meets the sea and the cool breeze drowns away your worries.  The drive in woodlands introduced me to the Bhel puri , Channa Batura and butter naan  that did  tease the palette from it's traditional south indian fare. It's hard to imagine my childhood without the FDFS( First Day First Show) adrenal...
Read more

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

    In today's world t his almost seems outdated and binary in its approach now. We cannot stereotype Mars or Venus either. Though this caption caught my attention for an entire different reason. In our strength training plan there are heavy days, medium days and light days . The weight choices you chose with the rep range defines these. So there are days you are asked to work with your maximum weight, days when you go one level lighter and days when it is just possibly bare minimum. I am writing this from a personal experience and please do not blame me for stereotyping. There are exceptions to every rule and you can be a women from mars or a man from Venus or you don't even need a planet. You get the drift.  This pattern I am describing below, has been almost consistent . Simple training plan of t ake your max weight/one less and grind and do reps. My immediate thought was go lighter and do the reps and not grind. The reason is not to make this an easy workout, it is ...
Read more