March 8 is International Women's Day. It originated in 1857 when garment workers in New York took to the streets demanding an eight-hour workday instead of twelve, fair wages, and a healthy work environment. That protest was suppressed, and women were imprisoned. Later, in 1910, German women’s leader Clara Zetkin called for observing this day as International Women’s Day. But even after a hundred years, the question remains—how much have women’s rights truly been established?
We still see that only one day is dedicated to women, while the remaining 364 days belong to patriarchy. On Women’s Day, discussions flood the stage, newspapers publish colorful supplements on women's welfare, and slogans for equality resonate in the air. Yet, in reality, women remain shackled by a patriarchal social structure. The rights of women are often limited to whatever opportunities patriarchy benevolently grants them. But women have their own identities, which patriarchal society has never fully accepted.
Women's Position: The Politics of Patriarchy
Women are evaluated based on their bodies and roles—as wives, mothers, and servants. Even a blind, ignorant, or disabled man can claim superiority over a woman simply because he is a "man." This shameless entitlement of patriarchy has persisted for generations. As an old proverb says, "A bent gold ring is still valuable," implying that being a man is inherently prestigious, and his flaws are insignificant.
In Bangladesh, the two top political leaders, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, are women. But how much independent decision-making power do they truly hold? They cannot move an inch without considering the opinions of the male leaders in their parties. The envious attitude of male-dominated politics has always been evident, continuously obstructing the real empowerment of women.
Women's Day: A Mere Deception?
Patriarchy has long conspired to suppress women, and so-called Women's Day is a part of that scheme. In society, terms like “women’s cricket,” “women’s football,” “women’s policies” are necessary, but no one discusses “Men’s Day,” “men’s cricket,” or “men’s policies.” That is because patriarchy has established itself as the ultimate authority. Even in parliament, female members are reluctantly allocated only 30 seats, making the question of equal rights seem almost laughable.
In religion, society, and law—men have ensured their dominance. Religious doctrines grant men power over women, reducing women's recognition to a secondary status. A female sex worker is labeled a "prostitute," but there is no condemnation for the man engaging in prostitution. This hypocritical misogyny is visible at every level of society.
The Struggle to Be a Woman
Dr. Humayun Azad, in his book Nari (Women), showed how patriarchal religion and society have continuously oppressed women. Modern embryological research indicates that all human embryos initially develop as female. Around the seventh week, due to chromosomal differences, some embryos transform into males. In essence, the original biological form is female, and males emerge as a variation. Yet, patriarchy has labeled women as the "secondary" sex.
By denying women education, they are called incompetent. By restricting their access to science, it is claimed that they cannot understand it. In reality, there is no inherent incompetence between men and women—patriarchy has artificially created women's inferiority.
Men’s Arrogance and Women’s Resistance
Simone de Beauvoir, in The Second Sex, wrote that men take pride in their masculinity, but the term "femininity" carries a sense of inferiority. This is because society has confined women within the identity of their gender.
Even Rabindranath Tagore seemed conflicted about the existence of women—
"You are not merely the creation of God, O Woman!
Man has shaped you with his own adornments."
But is a woman merely a creation of man?
Our national poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam, rightly proclaimed—
"Whatever in the world is great, noble, and eternally beneficial,
Half of it was done by women, the other half by men."
The struggle for women's political, economic, and social rights is still ongoing. Women's Day should be celebrated as a true recognition of women's independence—not as an artificial formality.
References:
• Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex
• Dr. Humayun Azad, Nari
• Collected Works of Kazi Nazrul Islam
Author: Journalist
March 8, 2019