I speak for

Dear Ira,

Writing another one of those letters. A letter from a mother to her daughter, from a woman to a girl, from one human being to another. Time and again incidents around us are a stark reminder that we have to look out for ourselves and for each other. We women have to find the strength in we. The new year's eve mass molestation case in Bangalore reiterates the safety concerns for women. But what strikes me as a greater concern is the way women folk have reacted to it. There are some poignant , thought provoking reactions, some jingoisms and then some reactions where the onus of safety is completely on the woman and how she should have the common sense to not do things that can put her in harms way. I want you to know Ira that yes, you are responsible for your safety but you are not responsible for someone else's hideous misbehaviour. You have to be smart to know where to go and how to handle situations but you are not responsible because another human being forgets to behave like one. I want you to know that Papa and I intend to enrol you for some self defence course (guess by the time you get around to reading these blogs of mine, you would have already been enrolled:)); because we want you to be prepared to deal with such people but we don't want you to live in fear.

You are a little girl today and tomorrow, you shall be a young woman. But you will remain our little girl. We want you to be brave, strong, smart. We want you to embrace life for what it is, to be loving, caring and giving. This poem is for you and every other little girl around.

Love,
Mamma

I speak for myself

I speak for all women

Learn to say, "No",

Learn to say, "Enough".

Let your voice be heard,

Let your rage be seen.

Break those stereotypes,

Break those shackles.

Dare to dream,

Dare to speak.

Go, travel the world.

Go, live your life.

Be brave, be smart,

Be confident, be assertive.

Know your rights

Know what is wrong.

Do not give in,

Do not give up.

Find your calling,

Find yourself.

Discover the wild you,

Discover the 'child' in you.

Strike that conversation,

Strike that fire within.

Beat that mind set,

Beat those expectations.

Carve your niche,

Carve your path.

Journey untrodden roads,

Journey unexplored ways.

I speak for Ira,

I speak for all girls.