I spoke at women’s day celebration at Kalmadi Highschool on 13 th March 2018
Mothers of school students were my audience.
I emphasized following points –
1. Women need to offer genuine friendship to other women. A person to laugh with is a huge bulwark against loneliness and other difficult emotions.
2. While women are constantly pushed to “conquer” more areas of life traditionally occupied by men, they need to consciously give up traditional women areas like child rearing, cooking, “looking after” household, caring for sick relatives, etc. Otherwise it will be a double whammy of responsibility for them.
3. Guilt and shame are tools of enslaving women. Women must desist using them on other women.
4. Adulation of women achievers for their “culinary skills”, “devotion to family” is a stab in the back. A woman who is holding a day job doesn’t NEED to go after being all rounder.
5. All traditional women deities with multiple hands hold only one category of instruments in all hands. Durga doesn’t sport a flower, a fiddle or a book! No deity sports babies and cooking utensils. – If our goddesses are happy with one job, why should we try to be “all in one” . It is a trap. Walk out of it without an iota of shame.
6. Make sure that men are equal partners in hardwork.
A confident woman who is not ashamed of her abilities is an attractive person.
And last point – if your kids are happy feeding at the hands of your mother in law, don’t feel bad. They getting fed is important. You will outlive her anyway and will have enough time to shower love on those ungretful brats.
Just chill.
Loved the comparison between goddesses and their one job! They are so lucky 🙂