Are we ever Equal?

Equal in ‘dignity’ and in ‘rights’

It is said that girls with dreams grow up to be women with vision, states Meghan Markel in her UN Women’s Speech. This article isn’t essentially focusing on feminism or empowering women, but on those rarely discussed and accepted topics, let’s elaborate.

The newest sensation Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s Fiance is a female advocate. When she was only eleven years old, she had observed a TV commercial by Proctor and Gamble which was for a dishwashing liquid. The advert displayed the words “Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans”. Well, surprisingly the little Meghan at the time had been shocked and disappointed as two of the boys in her class had chimed in by supporting the advert, ‘ yeah, that’s where women belong. In the kitchen.’ Her father had asked her to write letters. And so she did, to the most powerful people she could think of. Hillary Clinton, Linda Ellerbie a kid’s news host and proctor and Gamble themselves!

Hillary Clinton wrote an encouragement letter to her. She was the first lady at the time. Few weeks later, Proctor and Gamble changed their dishwashing liquid advert from ‘ Women all over America’ to ‘ People all over America’. This is where she started being a women’s advocate.

It is unfair to talk about two beings being equal to each other. Let alone a man and a woman. I can imagine the rotten tomatoes being thrown at me right about now.

Rights of humans, on the other hand should be equal. This is for humanities sake.

Women can go protesting for equal rights of being topless just like men, but well now is that sensible? This is not the Stone Age where humans enjoy the liberty of their natural habitat. It’s an involuntary chemical reaction that makes men attracted to women and vice versa. But on those rare occasions, we have the same gender attracted to each other. It’s involuntary, it’s not unnatural and it’s just the way it is.

Focusing on the western ideals of feminism, people seemed to have gone to the extremes. And nobody can pin point to the real meaning, cause of feminism. It seemed to have gone haywire and as in any situation there is always a group of individuals who take things to the extreme just to mock the ideals.

Humans are supposed to be equal in ‘ dignity’ and ‘ rights’; Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. But where is dignity let alone the rights!

Any logical person would not compare two human beings together. But it is important to appreciate the individual differences but protect one another.

Let’s talk logic. Women and men have different needs. A man does not have a menstruation period where he would need sanitary facilities and a woman would not need a ball guard to protect the sensitive area when playing a sport. Humans are created differently to serve different roles in society. But humanity should be a constant.

It would be quite a difference if we appreciated each other and protect each other, avoiding abuse or torture. Raising our voices when we see another being disrespected and not been paid for doing the same job someone else would do. No one should be deprived of opportunities because of gender. Don’t you agree?

It’s a sense of bond and respect that will keep our human race evolve in to something better.

It’s our duty to protect our women. Regardless it is our duty to protect and keep our men sane. It balances off. It’s a team effort. One cannot survive without the other. Humans live in herds if I may say.

Even when a single individual living a solitary life, there will always be a man or a woman to support them as a friend, as a brother or sister, or simply an acquaintance. It’s the balance this world was created on.

Disrespecting each other, condemning one as a weaker gender wouldn’t take society any less far than we already are. Whether this is feminism, equality, uplifting humans we cannot pin point a label. But for starters, I know I will stand up for the next injustice that involves gender discrimination.

Let me edit the quote of Meghan Markle, ‘ Girls with dreams will be Women with Vision, boys with a sense of humility will be Men with dignity and wisdom’ Devuni Goonewardene

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