The status of women has improved by leaps and bounds over the past century or so, due to accessible quality education, voting rights, various welfare schemes, and equal working opportunities. Also, society has changed to some extent, far from being conservative to becoming broad-minded citizens, by not keeping women confined to just homes now.
Girls today are taking the benefit of all kinds of courses at the University level. So practically no field of employment has been left untouched by them. You can find women in government, politics, finance, medical care, hospitality, media, education and research, business, aviation, legal, all three defense services, entertainment, fashion, sports, and so on. The President of India at present is a woman, the much-respected Mrs. Draupadi Murmu.
The Positive Sides –
The image of women and acceptance of their achievements got boosted and acknowledged tremendously in recent decades especially. Women are confident and assertive and do not shy away even from choosing their life partners. They are more vocal about their well-being, legal rights, and having an equal say in family matters. Surely, they do not wish to be intimidated by anyone for their choices.
The sky’s the limit for those, who are brave enough to break the glass ceilings, as they reach the upper position in their respective careers. These women believe in working competitively with their male colleagues and always concentrating on boosting their skill sets. Due to advanced medical services, the quality of living has been enriched for both urban and rural women.
The adverse sides –
There are multiple challenges to being a woman in the 21st century. Unfortunately, there has been an alarming increase in the rate of crime against women, both offline and online, due to the usage of technology via smartphones, tablets, and laptops. If the use of technology has eased the life of the public in general, it has caused more harm to women, who are routinely getting trolled, stalked, cheated, or abused, for the slightest mistakes committed.
Because women have natural cravings for brand-new clothes, footwear, or cosmetics, or for that matter, any household items, purchasing them online through virtual payments, via multiple shopping sites, can turn out to be a nightmare, if they aren’t very careful enough. For example, by clicking on some suspicious links, the entire personal information like pictures and phone numbers gets extracted, apart from the bank details.
Though convenient, online cab services have seen numerous cases of women getting outraged. It’s only now, through the awareness provided by various social media channels, that women are warned about their safety by installing on their phones various features of notifying their near and dear ones in case of emergency.
Because social media platforms are addictive by nature, it is always prudent to scan the time spent surfing the alluring content. Not to mention the time spent chatting with known companions, relatives, or virtual friends. Any of them can make or break you, with unnecessary comparisons.
Except for Mumbai City (secure even post midnight), no other city or small town is safe anywhere in India. Whether it’s public places, transport, schools, or hospitals, one never knows when and where a girl gets stared at, molested, or worse raped. It can happen even in the most protected homes. A predator’s mindset toward women is nothing but objectifying them.
The Solutions for Women –
- Learn any kind of Martial Arts for self-defense, instead of being a victim or helpless.
- Be aware of the best safety apps and several features on the phone to avoid threats.
- Continuously improve your skills and update your knowledge.
- Avoid gossiping and downgrading other women out of jealousy or whatever. Instead, help, love, uplift, and empower each other.
- Be happy and evade negativity, by nurturing your body, mind, and soul. Great health is an asset, making your family happy too and proud of you.
Conclusion –
As a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and so on, a woman lights up her home’s atmosphere and its aura, with her loving and caring attitude. She’s mindful of the words she speaks and the actions she commits at home and outside.
From the erudite scholar Gargi in the ancient era to the courageous and magnanimous Queen Ahilyabai Holkar in the semi-modern time, India has been a land of many female stellar examples whom we can look up to and idolize, for their brilliant contributions to society. By showing empathy, compassion, and spirit, we women, the metaphor for ‘Shakti’, can build a truly enlightened community.
The Momma Clan 
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