Women's Day was celebrated over this past weekend on March 8. Last week, we asked readers to voice their opinion as to why Women's Day should be celebrated if both genders are considered equal.
We were flooded with indignant, witty and serious responses! Here are a few for your reading pleasure:
I think we should also have "MENS DAY". as this is the only thing left out. Womens Day and Childrens day are already in place.
-- Eswaran Iyer
Come on, we all know it. This is the time for all the beauty products, household appliances, jewellery stores, fashion houses to offer discount sales for the 'woman of today!'
I completly agree with Manjit Singh. In a country like ours, where female feoticide, dowry deaths, eve teasing, harrassment still occur, its silly to talk about Intl Women's Day. (What do you think, that for one day, the eve teaser will pay respect to a woman, by not harassing her on March 8?) One has got to know the reality, before joining the woman's day celebration bandwagon!
-- Tanya Munshi
In a meeting, a woman argues that in many mental hospitals, the number of men is three times more than the number of women.
A man from the audience says, "Agreed! But, who puts them there?"
-- Dheeraj Akula
Who said Women are Men's Equal? Take a good look at the Kriminal Kangress & you will know, women voice stronger than men. I don't think examples are necessary; it's understood.-- Pat Thakur
Its just a another day to reminder us that women are the cause of all problems......
-- Delrich Maz
Three reasons -
Women gives birth
suffers for every 3 days in a month
accepts and forgives faults committed by men around
Hence we need to celebrate Womens day.
-- Parimala Murthy
I dont think we need to celebrate a so called "Womans Day", atleast not any more. We r Stree - The Power. We do get almost all the previlages a man enjoys sans a few. And as for asking for those few rights, we will eventually get them too. And let men be taught from their childhood be taught to respect woman, treat her as a human and not as a "cheez badi mast mast".
-- S Prabha
Over a period, women who were branded to be weak,have proved their worth themeselves and hence today they are considered equal to men in all fields , and hence today we talk of equality of sex, no discrimination of sex,etc etc. Hence in my opinion, we can celebrate this special day to comemorate this success and change over.
-- Vidhya Pai
Who said women are the weaker sex and WHEN ??? Today they can have their cake and eat it too. They can claim that they need special attention , get sympathies and still scre*w men and get ahead of them. First they had only beauty, now they have brains too which is dangerous for men.??? Men are lagging far behind and women know how to have it their way. On TOP of that they want a Woemn day too, they'll have it. They win hands down.
-- Vikram
Who says both genders are equal?
Look around you.
Are all women given the same educational opportunities as men?
Is the status of a woman equal to that of a man in all families?
Aren't a number of female foetuses are aborted every year?
Don't women face glass ceilings in their careers?
Isn't domestic abuse a part of life of many women in India?
As long as there are question marks as above, gender equality will remain a thing of fiction.
And that is precisely the reason why we need to celebrate Women's Day not because
both genders are equal, but because it needs to be stressed that gender equality has to be
achieved.
-- Roli Srivastava
I can quote about problems which men face. 50000 false cases of dowry harassment every year. Around the same figure of men committing suicide every year. No support systems. No IT rebates. No concessions. No train concessions. The entire society and Govt is in their favour at the cost of men. So women have got more than what they could swallow.
-- Gautam Rao
Rather than discussing whether "Women's Day" should be celebrated or not, its our duty to focus on more important issues. Womens day is anyways celebrated by the working,independent, affluent class women.. My maid, who suffers daily, knows nothing about it.
We should rather work for those young girls who are forced into prostitution, for female infanticide, girls who are forced to quit studies and work for a living. Till the time such cases are prevalent in our society, its totally foollish to even talk of a "Womens Day"
-- Gal
Normally women in corporate of world are hired to increase the glamour quotient of their office and nothing else. Women are good in attaending telephone calls, clerical monotonous works ( without the need to use brain)and walking on the fashon parades
-- Navneet
I think its your own little view point that not entirely true. My sister is heading a division in an MNC and she eats guys like you for lunch. She takes care of family/kids, its no joke. So please when you make a statement ensure to put disclaimers like 'its you own view point and doesn't represent the thinking of mass'.
its a shame that we have suppressed women for so long, so far. who forced them look good always, who forced them to cook? who confined them to house/kitchen its you men. hope this changes and women get more liberty and power to take care of themselves without being profiled.
-- Krishna Narasimhaswamy
Rediffmail readers, pease do not think of women in the cities only. The majoprity of women are living and working and struggling in the villages of India. They are going through a tough time. They are exploited and oppressed still. We still need women;s day to remind and inspire the rural women and men about the rights and dignity of woman.-- James Mascarenhas
Are we not discriminating and creating inequalities by having reservations and special days. Women have proven themselves in every field. They are better than men. Then why any special day/ treatment. The minute you equate and say you are better than some one, you automatically imply that the other person is/ was better.
-- Suresh Bahadur
More from rediff