Being a Woman

With Elections over and the almost anti-climatic end (after so much that the Media spent on discussing the possibilities of elections this time around), what I find interesting is the current speculation of whether India will have its first woman speaker. The talk is that the lady from Bihar, a former Civil Servant, Meira Kumar, is the most likely candidate, and the Dy Speaker chair also might find a lady in its place, Sumitra Mahajan from the opposition. Why I find this interesting is that with so much as more than 50 years of Independence behind us, and our proof to not only the sub-continent but also the world, that we are a successful democracy, we have not been democratic even in the positons of power. To our diverse nation, what keeps making headlines is the differential treatment being met on the lines of caste, region and religion, but we have conveniently been ignoring another dividing line: that of gender bias.We still count One Indira Gandhi, one Sonia or Pratibha, one Sarojini Naidu, or now one Meira Kumar. I know that there is always a first time, but I believe for a country like ours, the first time has come so late in most things, and definitely is no where in the scene when one actually goes into the interactions in daily life, that its almost a shame to be calling ourselves a "Democracy" with so much pride.

Well, I dont intend to start a feminist movement, but of late there is something that I have been realising that is making me respect myself more and I think it is to do with Being a Woman.