What is this feminism? (From prism of a 21 year old city girl)

What is this feminism? (From prism of a 21 year old city girl)

My Facebook profile tells my political view as “Feminism” since last 3-4 years. I don’t quiet remember what triggered me to change it to so. I do not say it out loud either that I’m a feminist. Hell but I’ve written answers for my political science paper and actually had scored decently in it. I don’t know what exactly feminist do or how they live their lives differently from people who don’t identify themselves as feminist. I’ve heard girls burning their bra, not shaving their public hair…you know the type A personality alpha females who are sexy-and-i-know-it.

I know I’m nothing like that. I can’t control anyone let alone dominate. I do shave my hands and legs every time I want to wear skirt or swimming costume. I am positively type B somewhat less assertive personality. I’ve cried in front of other people and have done so at most inappropriate times. I’ve openly expressed my deepest of deep feelings and not just that but have pursued a boy to the extent of being called needy by my friends. I thankfully take a helping hand from a boy or a man while climbing on a boat and I’m grateful when a guy friend protects me from crushing crowd in a local train by acting as a shield. I smile, giggle and laugh till my mouth hurt, every time a guy cracks a joke, even if it is a PJ. And yet I dare to write “Feminism” as my political view on Facebook.

I will now attempt to paint a picture of how a typical girl in a city brought up by parents with liberal views is. When she is born her parents are rejoiced because of a simple fact that a baby is born to them. Gender do not bother them. In fact a baby girl is protected and fussed more than a boy by their loving parents. They buy all girly toys, decorate their rooms in  shades of pink and purple, enroll their kid in a dance class and attend to all her whims and fancies. In terms of punishment, the Dad  especially are quiet lenient and shower unbounded love and praise on every little achievements of his daughter. As the kid grows, parents are protective but yet are competitive in giving best to their daughter just as they would to their boys. And since majority of the girls are in-born sincere and take their parents expectations to their heart, they aim to excel beyond the so called glass ceiling because they do not know what glass ceiling for women is due to the upbringing they had till then. If they never know what limitations are or are never made to realize that kitchen must be dominated by a women, how will they take anything less than they are already given at home? Agreed not all girls are alpha females but still even the most submissive of them will not tolerate being subjected to gender classification or being put restrictions on. These girls know how to cook and also know how to manage a company; she can be a sweet loving daughter-in-law and badass boss as well. The way today’s girls are becoming aware and aspire to be,  is a force that has wiped out the glass ceiling from our textbooks. She is a lover and a fighter. They are smart and sturdy; could twist, turn and bend to get their way. Every girl who does not give any type of recognition to this glass ceiling is then feminist.

 I read a quote somewhere,

“Women who aim to seek equality among men lack ambition.”

I do know that we have two centuries of women’s struggle behind us to have such a privilege. Women who first fought to have same rights as men were tortured, called names, disowned and sometimes out casted. They fought, they struggled and so today girls are not afraid to speak and curse, sometimes both. Females are naturally blessed with patience and large capacity to take suffering. They are born with empathy. It’s part of evolution. And this quality itself is why they fought the system by simply going on with their work. It was a silent revolution. Savitri Bai Pule of Pune, Maharashtra; never took out rallies and protests. She simply went to school every day to teach the girls. Also she never displayed any kind of rage but uprooted the entire belief of so-called Hindu Pundits by lighting the dead body. These feminists did what they wanted to. For them glass ceiling was just not there.

And I spoke about urban girls because I know only of cities and towns. I also know that not all urban girls are brought up in such a dotting ways. Some fight their way up and this fight start from their families. But I also am aware that liberal parents from small towns and villages push their girls to grow and accomplish in life as well. And the stories are endless. And such alpha females are formidable force, even Gods fear. (Yes my imagination, but  even in imagination I know this would be true)

Being a girl in today’s world Is truly a blessing. It’s like getting the best of both worlds. Females all over the world are silently making feminism not just a belief that a few wave a flag of, but a way of life-the only way of life. And men are increasing becoming a feminist too by being understanding and just being there for their lady, because hell knows while she is busy acting tough, her emotions are building and waiting silently to erupt one day. Because there are going to be days when she feels like this…