Hijabs and skirts...

For me, it is just unfortunate that the reason for which the 'International Women's Day' was introduced still holds true, even today, after a century. It's just detrimental that we have to celebrate 'International Women's Day' like we celebrate 'International Labor day' or 'World AIDS day', to spread awareness! Have we really become so insensitive towards women; half of the world's living population, that we need a day to tell the world to be aware of our existence and respect us? Why can't this happen naturally? We don't have any 'International Men's Day', do we? So in short it looks like that with the so called (materialistic) progress the problems that women faced have now just altered their form and are on all time high! 

However I must confess that being in the Middle-East has helped me to understand the dire need for such special day for women and though reluctantly, I am glad that there is one of its kinds. Let me give you one of the many examples which make me think this way. An international organization had arranged a marathon to be held next month in Gaza. But it has been canceled because... any guesses... no? Well because the Gaza authorities have declared that no women can participate in this event. I mean, come on! Why can't a woman run in the marathon that was supposed to raise the money for children? Of course, the decision to cancel the whole event is, in its own way, a protest against such an unreasonable decision which has not only insulted the women all over the world but has also deprived those children who, now, might not be able to go to school or get the required medical treatments...

Well for Beirut, it has a very curious mix of women. Most of them wear a hijab and full-length body covering clothes and are usually very traditional and religious. These are working women but with many social restrictions. However, a large number of women do not brandish this religious sign. These are generally the women of high-class families and are busy getting their physical appearances fixed so that they are all dolled up for we all know what. They are dressed in animal print short tight skirts, high heels, over blown-up hair, the fake China made branded handbags with all botoxed physical features. (of course, there are exceptions!!) But such dumbing down makes me wonder if it is really worth the men for whom it's done. Because unfortunately most of them they don't really care! Most of the men here can marry up to 4 times, by law! I had never imagined that such things were real, but now I can say that, yes, they are and I actually know a few of them!  But this also implicates that there are far too many broken hearts...

Even sadder part is that just being a woman doesn't really mean anything here. That's not sufficient! You need to be associated with a certain religion, ethnicity, profession and what not to be worth of receiving better or worse treatment. Racism exacerbates the situation. While teaching French at a local NGO I get to interact with different migrant female workers who have come here from remote parts of Africa, leaving their families behind. Each of them has a unique story which eventually reiterates the fact that they go through all this discrimination shit just because they are women and that too of a different race. Notwithstanding the deplorability of needing a special day for women, it's a really good idea to have one to make everyone aware of their existence and problems. 

It's definitely shameful that a woman who is a mother, daughter, sister, wife, girlfriend, niece, aunt etc. has to face all the said discrimination and put up with it. She is hardly ever spared of the snide comments, lustful looks, unwelcome touching, the dumbing down etc., regardless of whatever she might be wearing; a hijab, a skirt or a sari. All this boils down to the fact that she is a woman and hence she should face the consequences! (??)

An 'International Women's day' certainly gives a hope that soon the other living half of the world will wake up and give us, the women, our rights to live a fearless and tranquil life! Withal it is high time that this idea gets into concerned people's head and that they treat women with care and respect. And I really hope  that there won't be any more need for objectifying women as if they are some cause which needs awareness. It might sound euphoric in current circumstances, still I do hope that any special day dedicated to women only won't be required in future and the acceptance of their being will just be as natural as breathing!

I can't wait for the 'International Women's day' to be removed from the calendar!