Womenophonia! Well, these days this 'ophobia' suffix is quite upmarket. Everyone else than us is '-ophobic'. Just listen to what the opposing parties in politics say of each other, and you would find this suffix plastered everywhere. Personally, though, i find this 'with us' or 'against them', and its alternative version 'with them' or 'against us' viewpoint rather confusing and quite problematic.
Am mentioning all this rhetoric because this exclusionary vision is at its worst when pitted against women. You are a feminist (of the speaker's brand) or you belong to the era when dinosaurs freely roamed the earth. Hence, according to this viewpoint, you are a woman means by definition you are anti men!
Remembered all this as November 25 is, as per the global/the U.N. edict, a day dedicateed to the safety of women, a day anti- violence -against women. Violence against women is not merely physical. In fact, it is mostly verbal and/or psychological.
Hence it is so deeply rooted that it is the most difficult cancerous trait to be uprooted. It is in the very veins of mostly men, and quite many women, too. Often women hate and demonise other women so much because they are not themselves secure in their own skins. They tend to overlook the fact that patriarchy dominates women, but it dislocates men in multiple ways, too!
Given such 'complementary' world views on both the sides, how to prevent injustice and violence against women? I suppose, the only solution lies in further and more enabling oneself as a woman. Part of this process would be precautionary measures constantly as there is no use crying over the spilt milk. Precaution against violence leads to prevention of violence. Period!
Pratima@ In 'precaution against' lies the 'prevention of' violence against women!
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