I Refuse to Celebrate Women’s Day!

I Refuse to Celebrate Women’s Day!

Isn’t Women’s Day a reminder that equality is still a work in progress, wrapped up in flowers, cakes, and token gestures just for a single day. Does true equality need a designated day. Doesn’t it merely highlight the stark contrast between the superficial celebrations and the countless moments of bias, inequality, and silent struggles that women endure every day.

But let’s not point fingers at the men alone please.

As a woman, do you truly support other women?

Start at home. Your mother, your mother-in-law – women who dedicate their lives to their families, either as homemakers or as career women balancing work and home. Do you honour them beyond a well-packaged gift on Women’s Day or Mother’s Day? Do you make their daily life easier with small acts of kindness, or simply acknowledging their efforts?

What about your sisters? Your sisters-in-law? Do you merely witness their struggles are a bystander OR are you there for them, silently supporting when they need it the most? A home-cooked meal, watching her kids for a few hours to give her some me time, or even just listening – these small acts of support would mean more than any celebratory WhatsApp wishes once a year.

And what about your friends and colleagues? The working woman juggling deadlines, home responsibilities, and personal struggles—do you see her? Do you step in when she’s drowning, even if it’s just by easing one small burden off her shoulders?

What about the unsung warriors – your house-helps. These bais/akkas/ammas/didis carry their own battles: abusive husbands, financial stress, health concerns, yet they show up, making your life easier. Do we acknowledge them beyond their wages? A paid day off when they need it, sharing a meal, or even just treating them with the dignity they deserve – Would that not brighten up their lives even if by a little bit. Would that not be a true celebration of womanhood.

And most importantly – do you honour yourself?

Being a woman is an exquisite, powerful experience – strength and grace, resilience and compassion, a force of nature wrapped in human form. But do you allow yourself to embrace it fully? Do you set boundaries, refuse to bend under the weight of outdated expectations, and give yourself the respect you fight for in society?

Are we raising our children – both daughters and sons – to understand this evolving world? Are we teaching our sons that equality isn’t just a slogan, but a way of life? That respect for women isn’t an act of generosity but a fundamental human value? Are we empowering our daughters to stand strong, and our sons to stand with them, not above them?

So no, I will not “celebrate” Women’s Day – not until Men’s Day is marked with the same enthusiasm, not until we truly practice what we preach. Because true equality doesn’t need a special day.

After all, aren’t we equal? And don’t we love to celebrate?