Most women giggle, I laugh.

I have never really understood or liked the concept of Women's day. Aren't special days for the weaker segment of the society?? And I am not weak, why the hell would I need a day dedicated to me just because of my gender.

But what I failed to understand is that I belong to the privileged section of the society, where my family (both maternal and in-laws) never made any laws based on gender. My life has not changed after marriage too, no worry about household chores, the clothes I wear, etc, etc unlike most of my friends. Shadi is considered a burden as apparently a girl's lifestyle changes upside down! But it was a conscious choice, My only rule for getting married was to go into a family similar to the one I already had.

Maybe this is what you call an "EQUAL OPPORTUNITY" environment where you don't even understand "Oh! things can be different just because of gender"

But digging a bit deeper, I think I have been blind to the differences around me. My friends were not allowed to wear jeans after a certain age (some in my extended family too), not apply to colleges outside of their hometown, not visit mandir or touch anything auspicious during periods!! It was all around me but I simply didn't empathize because it was not happening to me.

I belong to a home that not only did not tie me back but pushed me to fly as high as I can & beyond. This in turn enabled me to outrightly reject the environment that tried to suppress me solely based on gender. I remember a conversation about onsite in one of the MNCs I worked with. Women were not sent to middle east plants simply because of safety reasons and also because these countries don't have the capability to comprehend that a woman can work too. This meant preferred on sites for women were the developed countries. Obviously, some people (read men) felt the need to say, 

"You are a girl that's why you get to go to easier onsite". 

PS: it should be noted the work is the same at any onsite, it's just the location that is easier.

This was enough to trigger a not so diplomatic response from me, 

"Sir, it would really help if you can give me the guidebook which could tell me what I should or should not do because I am a girl. My parents never gave me such a book, maybe you can share the one you shared with your daughter"

There was a pin drop silence & no one dared to bring sexist remarks at least in front of me.

A similar thing happened in college, where girls were locked inside hostel walls by 8:00 pm & boys had of course no such restriction. After multiple protests, we achieved the same official timings for all hostels (Unofficially boys had no hostel timings). That was a win, but so sad that we had to fight for it when I (and all girls for that matter) got selected based on my rank which was better than many of the boys in there, I was the branch opener in the third most sought after branch. What was remarkable is the professors didn't seem to understand or empathize with the situation. If such is the situation of the teaching minds in Tier 1 colleges, what is there left to look for in the future!!

The root of International Women's Day lies in the mobilization of women in the early decades of the 20th century for better pay and voting rights. After almost 100 years, the situation is the same just the aspects have changed. So much so, that many people who come to know me are surprised that I have a beautiful laugh, not like most girls who merely giggle or cover their mouth while laughing. If only each woman was given the freedom to not stifle her laughter.

And this women's day I wish to see a world where each and every woman laughs beautifully, and eventually, there is no need for celebrating women's day.