‘What do women want’?

Not again!!! You are going to say. Thousands of books have been written, million of studies conducted, numerous psychologists have propounded theories on the topic. Dr. Gray wrote ‘Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus and a sequel too. So much so, Nancy Meyers made a movie. So why am I talking about this much-hackneyed subject.

Because yesterday, I saw a video on Facebook by a girl, who was trying to explain what women mean when they say some particular things. It was funny to start with but at the end she said, “Its easy, all you have to do is to be mind reader”. And my reaction was what a thought? Why make fun of us? Its not that I can’t take a joke about women or I get into a fit if I hear a sexist remark. Most times, I am able to either laugh about it or ignore it.

But that girl had me thinking. Is it that bad? Or are men that daft not to k now what we want?

All we want is to be heard with attention and not with disdain. To be taken seriously and not cast aside as some necessary but an irritating thing. To be cared for genuinely and not when we have to jump in the sack.

We want to be respected for what we are, who we are and what we contribute to the society. We want our achievements to be lauded as loudly as men. We want accolades for our triumphs and not caustic comments like she must have slept her way to the top. The other day, an Ontario member of parliament came out with her experience as a politician. She said ass grabbing is a very common thing for female politicians. I was shocked. She also said that women politicians are made fun of.

 Is this the way women are treated by men in the so-called educated, liberated western world?

What right, then, these people have to criticize honour killing and burqa imposition in Muslim countries? How can they raise a finger on extremists who don’t allow their women to be educated or who don’t allow their women to go out alone. I am not condoning that but I am also appalled at the mentality of the self-claimed liberated west. How come there has been no woman president in America? Why abortion such a big issue in north America even now? In India we had Mary Stopes in seventies where women could go and have an abortion done.

Women in the west had suffragette movement to get the right to vote. So men folk out there, please stop treating us either with kid gloves or an object. Just do us a favour. Stop analyzing us. Give us our space and treat us like you will treat any other buddy.

What we want is your respect as a person.