Women for Women

By Injila Khan

 

For ages, society has pitted women against women. It has instilled hatred, competition, and envy amongst women. This has resulted in unhealthy relationships causing one woman to go against another. It happens when we, as a woman, try to put another one down. We also tend to spill out secrets of one woman to another. This shakes trust between us. We often see female rivalry in professional and personal lives. Everyone must have witnessed two colleagues wasting their energies in order to keep the other down rather than pushing each other to reach heights. Two women in the same household are in a constant thread of competition to downgrade the other. This often breaks family ties. Many women suffer mental trauma at the hands of their sisters-in-law and mothers-in-law or daughters-in-law for that matter. Instead of being a pillar of strength to each other, they choose to indulge in activities like slander and backbiting, creating a false image for each other. This shatters the image of the woman-to- woman bond as a whole.

Another important thing that I would like to highlight is that a woman’s worth is known by her looks and appearance in society. We want to be the best looking in the room. This also leads to competing in terms of outward appearance and often causes an inferiority complex. It is said to be held in high regard to be presentable but a woman is way more than that. Her intellect, her nature, her struggles behind her success, all that matter. If we understood what one must have wrestled with, we would have been more empathetic towards humankind. What we see on social media these days is what we compare ourselves with. Everyone is happy in the virtual world. But we should not forget that it is not the reality. In this race to look resplendent, many women get in a trap to change their natural features and go under the knife and have plastic surgery, botox, and end up looking like plastic dolls. For what, some thousand likes on Instagram? Yet nobody talks about the rigorous supervision and extra care it requires post- surgery. No one has the right to define the standards of beauty. Beauty should not become a challenge or a hurdle. One should feel comfortable in their own skin. If you feel beautiful, you will reflect the beauty inside out.

It is important for us to acknowledge these issues and stop drawing into such battles. Women who work in collaboration, and by promoting each other come across stronger and more successful at the workplace and in their lives.

We must take a pledge to come forward when our sisters are being exploited and victimized, to speak up for them, and to be a support system to our womankind. We should be committed and stand by each other. Creating a safer environment is a prerequisite to bringing sustainable change. We must inspire each other by sharing how we overcome our inner battles and achieve success at great lengths. We must set examples in the society that behind every successful woman, there is blood and sweat of another woman.

We must show the power of the pack.

It’s time we show the world the power of ‘W’. 

It’s time we hold our hands together.

It’s time we fight for our rights.

It’s time we quit talking and start working on the ground.

It’s time we fight for one another instead of against each other. 

It’s time!

Author is working with a Delhi-based NGO, Awaz-E-Khwateen. She has her Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Peace Building.