Ravi
I know what you’re saying, and that you didn’t mean it in a negative way, but rather as a statement to show that you don’t think women are any less than you and other men. However, now I feel the need to explain again why I disagree with you.
Women are just as intelligent and capable as men if given equal opportunities. But, the problem is that even if a woman has an IQ of 150, that won’t help her any as long as she lives in a society where women don’t get an education. If you can’t read or write, what are you supposed to use your intelligence for?
And, if you live in a society where being beaten or assaulted is normalized, you don’t think of it as wrong. It doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you’ve never known anything different, so you don’t think of it the same way as women in other societies do. Besides, in developed societies as well, most women who get beaten by their partners don’t leave them. They stay.
This isn’t just about women in the worst corners of the world, it also goes for women in more developed countries. For example, the #metoo movement changed things for many of us. Before that, it was “normal” for women to be sexually harassed, both at work and basically everywhere else. Don’t get me wrong, this still happens, but at least it’s not as socially accepted anymore.
Personally, I was probably 35 before I realized that it’s not okay for men to come and touch me uninvited. Was that because I was less intelligent 5 years ago than what I am now? No, it’s simply that I, like most other people, think the way society teaches me to think. But looking back at that now, I know that I was lacking something, and that thing was self-respect and the ability to stand up for myself. And keep in mind, I’m from the number 2 country in the world in terms of gender equality. So how do you think it is for women in other parts of the world?
I could go on, but let me just end it with this: In my opinion, pretending that women have everything they need already is dismissive of the issues women around the world face. Because, laws to protect women don’t help unless the norms of societies change and women, and especially young girls, get taught that they are just as deserving of education, independence, respect, and a sense of self-worth as men are. And until this is ingrained in every girl and woman, we will never be truly equal, and hence, we’ll be found wanting.
And that’s why the International Women’s Day is important.
