When I see the enthusiasm surrounding Women’s Day celebrations, I can’t help but feel a sense of unease.
Recently, I watched the movie Mrs., and it left me with a lingering realization: I was the perpetrator growing up.
Not my father.
Not my brother.
But me.
I was the one who threw tantrums when the food didn’t suit my tastebuds. I would play with my mother’s sarees and dresses, leaving them at sixes and sevens, only to run off and play with my friends.
My parents would quietly tidy up after me. It wasn’t until I moved to a hostel that I truly understood the value of responsibility and learned to manage my chores.
Watching the men in the movie throw tantrums and treat Richa (the protagonist in Mrs.) as inferior felt like a harsh wake-up call.
It was a mirror reflecting my past behavior, and it hit me like a tight slap.
Women’s Day food for thought: Are women the best allies of women?
Hang me for asking this blasphemous question, but it’s more painful for me to see a woman putting down another than a man mistreating us.
The mother-in-law bullying their daughter-in-law,
The daughter-in-law treats the mother-in-law like an old furniture because of her age.
A friend betraying another out of insecurity over their beauty, achievements, or wealth.
You name it, and there is every kind of rivalry among women.
When women become women’s greatest ally
Kristen Fuller of the American Addiction Center says that female friendships provide emotional support, understanding, and a unique bond that is different from relationships with men. Female friendship offers a safe space for sharing thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which contributes to mental and emotional well-being.
As per a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, there is a high probability that women with early-stage breast cancer are more likely to die without women friendships. Women who have a larger friend circle have a much better survival rate.
Another study has pointed out that the stronger women’s friendships are, the higher their self-esteem, hope, and social support.
Innumerable studies show how uplifting women’s friendship can be for a woman. For a moment, let’s forget about this research and think about your own women friends.
I have met some amazing women in my life. Some of them have boosted my confidence, some helped me heal wounds that I thought would never heal.
Some taught me to be determined when the going gets tough and some have taught me to enjoy life with all its simplicity.
The positivity I have imbued from other women is unmatched.
Let’s be the allies, Let’s uplift each other
Female friendships can be edifying and refreshing. When we break the cycle of jealousy, insecurity, and competition, and replace it with solidarity, support, and celebration of one another’s successes, we empower each other. With our collective strength we can create a safe space, and a pillar of strength for another.
There is nothing wrong with designating a day to celebrate women and womanhood. But let’s celebrate Women’s Day every day by helping each other and showing kindness and love to each other.