by Mechas
International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8, commemorates women's struggle for equality, celebrates achievements, and raises awareness about discrimination and disparity. These issues may seem outdated but, alas, they are not. There are still myriad expressions of prejudice and discrimination inflicted upon individuals from all geographies and walks of life.
Silhouette of women. Source
Historical accounts largely lack information on women. Their daily lives, individual stories, ambitions, and contributions to society in ancient times remain unknown. This also applies to the bulk of individuals from the past, but women make up roughly half of the human population. There are exceptions, of course. Some stellar women leaders have impacted the course of history; others have been legendary and heroic warriors. More recently, women have been recognized for their contributions to fields of science and art. But usually, the role of women has remained secondary to that of men, a feature that is annoyingly conserved across cultures, geographies, and religions, despite differences in beliefs and values.
Why this historical neglect? With "as many opinions as there are people," I propose fear as one possible explanation. Fear of opposition by those in power, especially from worthy opponents, can very well justify undermining voices potentially disruptive to an established order. Being overlooked and feeling frustrated with conventional societal and institutional regulations is not unique to women, and is direly felt today even in positions of leadership.
Women now have more options and liberty to express themselves. They have also proved to be equal to men in the workforce, in their creativity and capacity to address challenges. Yet there are still gender gaps in pay and employment, among others. Solutions and changes may be slow, but empowering women and enabling choices, some of which may even lead to paths based on priorities that favor personal life over professional recognition, have been and will continue to be beneficial for society at large.
Photo credit: Sarah Leen. Source
We see the world mostly from our isolated, private lens. Given the multitude of life histories, it is impossible to understand even a fraction of all possible human experiences. Yet it serves us well to observe and listen to others, and then to pause and appreciate that our limited experiences define preferences and views that are, in turn, channeled into the daily actions that comprise our lives.
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