Feel Free To Wish Us Women's Day But This Time We Have A Set Of Terms & Conditions

Women's Day is just around the corner and we are all prepped up to wake up to messages, wishes, and quotes stating we are the women of strength, we are inspiring, incredible, compassionate, powerful, and whatnot. Every year, March 8 is reserved to celebrate us, and our different roles, that of a mother, sister, wife, daughter, and friend among others. We are honoured in every way possible.

If you take a look around on this day, you will spot panel discussions hosted on every other digital news medium, talking about women’s rights, feminism; there will be bakeries selling special women's day cakes, men sharing pictures with the women in their lives on the gram, florists offering curated bouquets for the day. Oddly, the love for women suddenly infuses into the air, and it's everywhere.

Let's take you a little back. International Women’s Day was first recognised by the United Nations to celebrate gender parity. The day also highlighted women's rights across the world.

Cut to, today, it's 2023. Decades later, we inhabit a world where parity still seems a distant dream. Women fear being abused, stalked, judged, and ridiculed all the time.

Not like we don't wish to commemorate the day, it's just that we have had it. We are not okay with being celebrated or honoured just once throughout the entire year. But , if you still wish to shower us with wishes this women's day, we have something to share. As women, we are cognizant that all the wishes that come our way on this day are merely words. So, best you try again when you can give us the following:

• Wish me women's day when you give me a safe space to step out
• Wish me women's day when you when you stop calling me ‘impure’ while we are menstruating (taboos around menstruation)
• Wish me women's day when you stop demanding dowry before or after marriage

• Wish me women's day when you give me equal pay for equal work
• Wish me women's day when you when you promise me a harassment-free workplace
• When you stop getting offended every time I eat before my husband or family
• When you no longer judge me for not fasting for my husband on the occasion of Karwa Chauth When you don't call me selfish for prioritising myself

• When you stop giving me labels - ‘too modern’, ‘bossy, ‘characterless’, ‘trophy wife’
• When you normalise us women wearing outfits of our choice
• When you don't shame us for asking a man out
• When you get to terms with us earning more than our partners
• When you don't call us cuss words when we talk about sex
• When you learn what consent is

• When you don’t shame us for having a bigger appetite than men
• When you put an end to catcalling
• When you no longer tag our essentials like sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups as luxury
• When you don't pit us against other women
• When you no longer see us as a responsibility or curse to the family
• When you stop sliding unwanted pictures on our Instagram DMs
• When you offer us a world where we no longer have to battle for parity

• When you let us walk past a street safely without glaring us with those piercing eyes

Honestly, no amount of messages or gifts on this day can do justice. We, women, have been always fighting for our space and we continue to. We don't want you to celebrate us, our asks are quite basic — respect, equality, love, support, and strength but is it too much of an ask? Do tell us!