Women Desire the Freedom to be the Controllers of Themselves

It is widely believed that the quest for liberation is eternal. The search for that ultimate form of freedom is as constant as the ever-changing moon in the night sky. Yet, despite never reaching that end, we keep on our hunt, for there is always hope, hope to be liberated, hope to be freed.

It is also widely believed that a woman's mind is a circuit of intricacies which intertwines into a jigsaw of emotion that only she can feel. Her passion is strong enough for a woman's heart alone and thoughts which only the female brain is capable of comprehending. Yet, a woman, like any other member of the human race, seeks liberation.

So what is that golden end that the women of today envision? What does that light at the end of the tunnel look like? To put it simply, what is it that young women in this country seek freedom from?

Today's women want the freedom to choose what covers their skin without society throwing garments of judgement on them.

They want the freedom to choose what course their life takes without that ritual of matrimony constantly looming over their minds like that one fly in a large room, emphatically announcing its presence. They want the freedom to choose their own meaning of passion, without being taught seemingly concrete rules carved into stone about an abstract emotion which only the heavens have physically seen.

Today's women want freedom from society's perception of beauty. They want freedom from the need to hold their breath into hiding that last piece of cake they couldn't resist. They want freedom from the constant struggle to eradicate all melanin from their skin. Also, they want freedom from the pressure to fit into the image of the little black dress or the bright red sari and every silhouette in between. Every manufactured norm of attractiveness, every version of the common stereotype associated with an entity as unique as beauty.

Most importantly, today's women want freedom from the shackles of a society. Where they are still weaker, more vulnerable, and less deserving than their male counterparts.

Irrespective of their gender, they desire the freedom to live a life as human beings capable of intellectual thought and emotional maturity. They desire the freedom to be the controllers of themselves, to be the masters of their minds and bodies. They want freedom from the perpetual fear of being abused, with no haven of safety to hide in. Finally, they want freedom from all the people they are expected to be, and all the minds they are expected to encapsulate so that they can live their life as themselves, their own wonderfully amazing selves.

Also read: Why Women Want Freedom From Society and Labels?

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Sreya Suri studies Journalism at  Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi. The views expressed in this column are author’s own.