Just let her be

I am not a feminist. Don’t misunderstand , I am not a bra burning , I hate men kind of feminist. But when I read this article about the Arab Spring and the quiet revolution which has been going on in the middle east, it just got me thinking.

I was born in a country which is not fair to its women. Our gods are women but the real women are treated really badly. But having said that, we don’t have as raw a deal as women in the middle east. We are not forced to cover ourselves from head to toe and be invisible. We are given an education. We are heard. We drive. We contribute. Things are changing, society is being forced to look inwards and a gradual change is happening. It has not been easy but we have also very strong role models (hell one of our goddesses is worshiped because she killed a demon in pure rage). But yes our women are treated badly and every statistic in the world screams this data.

When I look at the women in the middle east their journey starts from their struggle to be seen. It is like 50% of their population should not be seen, it is as if the entire region is ashamed. And I don’t even want to go into their explanation for the stuff, it makes my blood boil. Maybe I am not the right person to comment on their culture but having said that, what kind of a culture is it that wants to hide away a mother and a sister . What kind of a culture is it that tells women that we want to suppress you, for your safety and well being. What kind of a culture is it what says that makes 50% of their population want to think that we want that little bit of freedom to breathe.Almost everything a woman does in those countries is a sin. Its as if they are punishing her for her existence. It is pure cowardice. That is what it is. And all this has a recent import . As recent as 1980  – 1990’s , when all these clerics decided that we need to be in control. Lets suppress everyone in the name of god. Yes god in all his wisdom wanted something like this.

I was reading this article about a few courageous women in the middle east who took photos in secret without their hijab. They describe it as their few minutes of freedom. It is like a small rebellion, its like sticking their tongue out at those despots.  They may be hauled in if they are caught, but they still went ahead and did it and posted it on the internet. Internet seems to be the only free channel they have now. And this blog is a salute to their courage. They just want a normal life where they don’t feel like prisoners in their own country.

Read the article here.