Every year when National Women’s Day rolls around I ask myself the same questions.
Why do we have a Women’s Day? What purpose does it serve? What does it achieve?
It has got worse of late, because we now have a Women’s Month as well.
As if a single day isn’t enough to rub women’s noses in the fact that they are undervalued, misused, abused, ridiculed, downtrodden, taken advantage of and generally poorly treated by men, who don’t need a Man’s Day. Why not? Because every single day is Man’s Day, including Women’s Day and the whole of Women’s Month as well.
No glass ceilings for men. They get to rise to the highest levels in civil society, business, politics, government, most industries and pretty much anywhere, unimpeded. If you doubt me, just take a look at the gender balance in the average boardroom, or any other similar forum.
Okay, the ruling party does make an attempt to have a proper gender balance in cabinet, but it is the very fact that it must be a concerted effort, that makes it so offensive.
It is high time our society looks itself in the eye and fundamentally changes the way it treats women.
Let’s shatter all the societal constructs that make the lives of women so impossibly difficult.
The status quo cannot endure.
