Stand Together

  PC: Qazi Ikram Haq It is well known and widely acknowledged that South Asian women and those from most cultures, compromise their well-being, boundaries, career, self-care and more so that their families and dependents can thrive. What makes this disturbing that this is not just acknowledged but very widely accepted in nearly all cultures and societies. It is needless to state that most of our societies and cultures are patriarchal but I feel I need to state this again to remind you that women are almost always at the bottom. Since we all know this and many of us accept it, we should also become aware of the cost of compromise on the quality of lives women live. Being a woman, I can tell you my story and what the South Asian culture of compromise has cost me and continues to. I am confident that millions of women and primary care givers can relate to what I have jotted down. At Home My home is my refuge, the safest place where I can exist. It is also a place for compromise e...

  The International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women  should be one of the most important days of the year for the whole world. Why is this so important? Isn’t the fact that nearly half of the world’s population is either female or born female, enough? This is more than enough, but it isn’t. Women and girls face violence every day in some form or the other. From physical and sexual abuse (which are pandemics on their own), to more invisible forms of violence such as emotional abuse, gaslighting and more, we experience these every day, across the year. There comes a point in each of our lives when we think and say - it is enough and take measures to put a stop to it. This happens when we are empowered to do so. What about those who don’t have the same empowerment or privilege? Can we just say ‘it is what it is’ and turn a blind eye to it – let the victims deal with it the way they have been, so far? No – we cannot and should not. I have experienced violence in ...

When I was 14-years old, Britney Spears sang “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman” and parts of the lyrics rang true in my life. I was apparently a girl and a woman and this didn't sit well with me. Although it was drilled into my brain by family and society, I knew I was still just a child.  Have you noticed that in most cultures, girls “grow-up” or “mature” faster? How true is this? Do you think this actually happens? Or is this a way for patriarchy to groom girls to be compromising throughout their lives? I believe yes, there is no other reason why we place such a high-pressure expectation on the shoulders of children who just happen to be born female.  The below picture was shared by someone I know. The occasion was Children’s Day  at a school in India. Do you notice the big difference between the two genders represented here? Look closely, how are the boys (on the top) dressed and how are the girls dressed?    My struggle with this picture is that on...