Shaved LEGS.

It is 3:00am and I am reminded of my instrumental music teacher from 9^th standard.  My school had morning assemblies every morning till 10^th standard. For 11^th and 12^th standard students it was not compulsory as they had extra classes to make possible good rank in various entrance exams. I like this set up of not having to attend assembly every morning.

Somehow the hair on my legs is in some sort of competition with the hair on my head. But they lose. However, the fact still remains that I have very hairy legs. So, on one of the fine shiny morning, as the classes were being dispersed in a que to their respective classes after the assembly in 9^th standard, Kanika ma’am my instrumental music teacher called me aside and said- “beta get your legs waxed, it doesn’t look good. You are a grown up now.” It made me feel terrible. Clearly not because what she said was wrong but because I knew that I would not get the permission to do so at my home. And also, because now I was enlightened about the fact that I am a grown up and do not look good. I obviously wanted to look good.

I wish I didn’t move my skirt an inch lower to hide the hair on my legs, while getting complimented for my hair on the head by most people around me. I wish I had the courage to tell my teacher that she was wrong. I wish I had believed that I was beautiful with or without the hair on my legs or my head.

Today after more than 10 years I am reminded of my teacher at this hour when I lay with my fresh shaved smooth legs. This is an example that what your teachers says stays with you forever. Though I realized it late but my legs are beautiful, yours are too.

Women & Household chores

Few days back my mother in the process of supporting teaching profession said that – this profession is best suited to women as it allows them to manage home as well, once they are back home after 2pm and therefore it is women empowerment to be able to do both. As expected of me, I obviously asked why is there a need to do it all in first place?

Here is a funny argument. All of us have very often heard of women being called or considered to be the weaker sex. On the other hand a man is much more superior and stronger and intelligent and what not. When a man comes back home after work, in most household women are expected to take care of his comfort, give him water, keep his food prepared, and should not be asked to do any work. But then how come a women who as I mentioned above is weaker expected to work even after working hours. Technically speaking aren’t only men qualified for this extra work, which has been forced upon women as her duty.

Another funny or may be just an absurd notion in our society is that- women are more close to their children, they have “mamta” and they work for them without any ulterior motives. For that matter the entire household work a women does is seen as a token of love for her family. However these very same people cannot digest the fact that a girl/woman can live alone, have her own house, have a job or be a single parent. I mean clearly a woman can be a single parent if it is her who the child needs the most. Well! NO. Because then this massively discriminatory institution of PATRIARCHY will collapse.  

I think romanticizing women’s exploitation needs to stop.