What it is to be a woman! Dr Molly describes their struggles, exclusively for Different Truths
Not overlooking the denial of space for women, the atrocities against her, the taken-for-granted attitude... leaving aside the feminist clamours for equality, freedom at midnight and the treatment of maternity as a vulnerable ground of subjugation... let me valorise womanhood, womanism, her womanist privileging point being ‘maternity’ how she rises above all equation level with man, superior and unique, fostering life, nature… she the creative principle of life... let me dwell on the average plight of the rural women I come across in everyday life... How times have fleeted fast bringing changes in human lives… but pity! the average rural woman still bears the brunt that started with patriarchal yokes… The average working woman be it as a maid, manual labourer at land or building sites or be it the educated one struggling hard, balancing her work and life... Expectations galore pile upon her... her life is one of taking orders, running her family, working, earning cooking, cleaning up keeping her twenty-four-hour alert, or a family that devours... She the prop and support of a world that squeezes out, her time, energy. be it Covid times or not in her lie the onus of filling up empty stomachs, she walks miles afar to bring potful of water... while their men rest or relax or wander aimless, they run around, these women searching for work to make both ends meet... Some sots, their husbands extracting their hard earned money return boozed with drinks just to beat them up... the poor wife tapering out her health and peace of mind… wonder if social norms change, not to take the average rural woman for granted, her life not to be trodden up on so rough and harsh, killing herself, zest to live... Yet they pull on these women, for their kids, family, for the hungry bird mouths, chirping, for the aged parents waiting...
Picture design by Anumita Roy, Different Truths
Dr Molly Joseph, a bilingual professor and poet from Kerala, has published 26 books, including 18 poems, two novels, and two storybooks for children. She has edited “A Handbook of Contemporary Ethics” and works for values, global peace, and togetherness. Dr Joseph has won national and international accolades and represents India at SAARC and FOSWAL literature meets. She believes in the power of the word and writes boldly on contemporary matters.
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Very meaningful, befitting the Day