International Women’s Day is here – a day when women are celebrated, and a day when they get discounts from so many shopping websites and restaurants! But do you know what’s the biggest gift that women can give themselves today? A day off. Women work all day, round the clock, 24 /7, at home and at work. So why not take just one day off? But can the Indian woman actually do that? We spoke to a few women and got these responses:
No, an Indian lady can’t do that. It is not possible for her to take a day off and not do any household chores.Priti Gupta, homemaker and mother
I never have time for myself. If I had time, I would have loved to relax. But I just can’t.Gudiya, street hawker
Neha, an Assistant Professor based in Lucknow, says – an Indian woman is conditioned to believe that sacrifice is her ultimate duty.
As with most matters, even the concept of taking a day off is a matter of privilege. For a middle class Indian woman, with little or no domestic help, it becomes impossible to excuse herself from her familial responsibilities, even if it is for a day.
Taking a day off from work is a kind of privilege. In the organised sector, you get two paid leaves in a month. But how many women can avail that?Japleen Pasricha, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Feminism in India
For a middle-class Indian mother, it becomes even more difficult to take the day off. So while it is great to ask women to take a day off from work, just how difficult is it for a mother to withdraw from her duties that have been accorded to her by the society.
I spoke to Nishtha Gautam, a mother, columnist and gender equality activist. Here’s what she had to say.
There will be a mini apocalypse in a woman’s home if she decides to take a day off from her role, unless another woman is stepping in to do the same chores. And therein lies the question of privilege.Nishtha Gautam, a mother, columnist and gender equality activist
This year, women’s rights activists in the US have decided to mark March 8 to be a ‘Day Without a Woman’. It’s a radical idea that asks women to step away from work, and from their traditional duties to make the world notice how insanely important their work is. I am not sure if that idea will work in India, where selflessness is taught to be the greatest virtue.
But Nishtha Gautam begs to differ.
You need to take a day off for yourself. If you cannot, try and create circumstances that enable you to take a day off. And this is not just for working women but also for homemakers. This is a luxury that you can’t deny yourself. You owe it to yourself. You may be a daughter, a wife, a mother or a friend, but you are an individual first. And your primary responsibility is to yourself.Nishtha Gautam, gender equality activist
On that note, Happy Women’s Day, everyone!
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