8th of March marks the International Women’s Day, a day which is definitely worth celebrating by wishing all the wonderful women. One can’t overlook the importance of this day or miss out all the special women in one’s life like mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, grandmothers, they owe alot more than one can ever imagine. A single day can’t sum up the role of women in the family, work, nation and the world, but it can still act as a wonderful reminder.
Societal norms and gender roles seem to have been inherited over ages. Unfortunately, there still exists the major issue of gender disparity. The battle between the two genders just seem to be never ending. There are plenty journal papers and articles which keep arguing over topics like gender inequality in terms of pay scale at work or the unequal treatment given to men and women in the society.
Brigham Young said, “when you educate a man, you educate a man; you educate a women, you educate a generation,” now that’s the powerful degree or extent to which a woman can influence the world. Whenever you doubt a woman’s ability and strength remember, “a woman is like a tea bag, you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” The difficult life challenges make a woman mightier than any man.
Women are like stars, people may find them to be indefinite, uncertain, or discrete at times but they are very firm, mentally strong and can easily connect with the world because of their friendly attitude. Twinkle, twinkle little star, up above the world so high, women are like a diamond in the sky, with their indefinite roles they shine and make the world a happy place where sadness is simply removed with a goodbye.
On International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the Women Worldwide by acknowledging her global contributions. A day which connects all the wonderful women of this world, to feel proud of themselves and their various roles in the society. A list of Women, who’ve mastered their inner strength and made the world so proud of Women, are as follows:
- Malala Yousafzai- a Female Education Activist and the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate.
- Hillary Clinton- made history for women in politics. The first lady Secretary of State and U.S. Senator.
- Rosalind Elsie Franklin- Chemist and X-ray crystallographer made contributions to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses.
- Tawakkul Karman- co-founded “Muslim Journalists Without Chains”. The first Arab woman to win a Nobel Prize and youngest Nobel Peace Laureate.
- Wendy Kopp- the Founder of Teach For America.
- Sally Ride- Astronaut and Astrophysicist.
- Tarana Burkhe- the Civil Rights Activist and Founder of #MeToo Movement.
- Sheryl Sandberg- a Chief Operating Officer of Facebook and Founder of leanin.org
- Antonio Novello- a renowned U.S. Surgeon (general surgery).
- Marie Curie- discovered Radium and the radioactivity behind it, while working with uraninite (pitchblende) samples.
- Michelle Obama- first African-American Lady who ruled the world.
- Arunima Sinha- the first amputee Mountain Climber.
- Nadiya Hussain- the Baking Expert who won cakes and tough competition. The cakes being inspired by her sense of culture.
- Winona La Duke- a Native American Activist and Environmentalist.
- Susan Solomon- Atmospheric Scientist.
- Ibtihaj Muhammad- the first female American Fencer in the world, ranked as one of the best fencers in the world.
- Serena Williams and Sania Mirza- the Tennis Champions who mastered sports.
- JK Rowling- the best selling Author and one who repeatedly took down the dinosaurs of Twitter.
- Mia Hamm- the great Soccer Champion.
- Nadia Murad- the war victim who rose to become a crucial Human-Rights Activist.
- Dorothy Hamill- the Ice Skating Champion who moved the world with her skates.
- Dalia Mogahed- US’ first Muslim woman in the White House back in 2009, one of Barack Obama’s ‘closest advisors.
- Wangari Maathai- the Go Green Activist.
- Mary Kom- the famous Boxing Champion to have won innumerable prizes and medals.
- Beyonce- created a landmark album for women everywhere.
- Ieshia Evans- showed the world how to protest gracefully.
- Saina Nehwal- the excellent Badminton Champion.
- Aseel Shaheen- from judging in a court to officiating on a tennis court, first Arab woman who ruled the world by being officiated in Wimbledon.
- Janet Guthrie- the best Race Car Driver who proved that women can not only drive well but are also capable of doing everything that’s labelled as difficult. Women have the calibre to prove that they can do everything if they hold self belief.
Respecting is like empowering women, and feminism in true sense. Respecting people irrespective of genders, is a human right. There are men and women who put women down, also there are men and women who uplift women by raising voices and taking actions to support gender equality. Let’s learn to respect women because they are amongst the wonderful and strong humans that the world can ever come across.
On a lighter note, the word women, has a prefix “wo” attached before men, may be that’s what makes them automatically preceed men. Let’s subtract the prefix “wo” inside our minds and may be then both the genders will be at par. Respect surely follows Newton’s third law of motion, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” the more one gives respect to others, the more one receives it. Respect people to earn their respect in return.
Note: This article doesn’t intend to support any kind of biasness or prejudice. Women and their various important roles were discussed and praised solely because of International Women’s Day, a day to salute them. Men and their various roles shall also be discussed and praised in the upcoming International Men’s Day, a day to salute them. So, let’s try to balance the gender weighing pans.
Irrespective of any discrimination, today and always, one must prefer to choose individualism over genderism. Let’s make an extra effort to make all the special women feel secured and special part of the society, and nothing really in seclusion. Learn to respect every individual, now that’s what it takes to be a real human being. One must give respect to earn back the same respect, as respect follows Newton’s third law of motion.
This writing piece of mine, was part of a collaboration with a purpose, the topic being- “A tribute to women worldwide.”
10 collaborators, from different countries of the world, participated in this writing event. Do read their take on the same topic:
- Barb Caffrey (“So, if you believe in any sort of Higher Power, one of the things you need to remember is to forgive yourself once in a while.”)
- Divyang Shah (“If someone don’t speak much, don’t interpret as a dumb, their mind must be working on something big or may be he is a writer.”)
- Ipuna Black (“None of us are perfect or come from perfect backgrounds, but this doesn’t mean we can’t aim for a positive and fulfilling life.”)
- Jane Love (“People who have a genuine say and a true voice of their own not just an echo of some celebrity they think they love.”)
- Mylene C. Orillo (“Where I’m at right now is a testament that ‘Dreams really do come true.”)
- Sadaf Siddiqi (“The best thing about memories, is one doesn’t realise they are making memories but once recorded, it just rewinds and takes one back to the beautiful series of life.”)
- Sonyo Estavillo (“I am here to champion anyone from the successful and confident folks, to those that are clinically depressed.”)
- Swati Kadam (“Getting lost is not wrong, usually the thing wrong is not realising direction we are heeding to.”)
- Tajwar Fatma (“When life hits hard, hit back harder.”)
- Nicolle K (“Success, for me, is when I spend my days feeling happy, peaceful, fulfilled and without fear of lack.”)