"The caged bird sings; with a fearful trill; of things unknown; but longed for still" These lines from Maya Angelou's Caged Bird finely describe women's struggles in the patriarchal society. Having grown up in a patriarchal environment, the idea of freedom, liberty and equality for women become "things unknown" but longed for. Women caged by patriarchy sing for freedom. But when the melody doesn't work, revolt takes birth. Breaking the cage, women resist patriarchy to gain basic rights. However, this battle is not easy. It involves enforced silence, state violence and bloodshed. Who is at fault here? The firm ground of patriarchy? Or the rebellion of women?
Feminism is an age-old battle, women have constantly been fighting against patriarchy. Some win, some lose and some sacrifice.
Story of Joan of Arc: One of the first feminists
Do you know the story of Joan of Arc? She was a feminist who wore men's clothing, fought in the Hundred Years' War and led the French army towards victory in Orléans in 1429. However, her failure to liberate Paris put her under trial with additional accusations of heresy, witchcraft and violating the divine law by wearing men's clothes.
In her defence, Joan of Arc had said, “While I have been in prison, the English have molested me when I was dressed as a woman. (She weeps.) I have done this to defend my modesty.”
She was sentenced to public persecution. She was tied to a pole located amidst the public and English authorities burnt her alive.
This happened in 1431. Now, we are living in 2024. But have things changed? No.
What has changed now? Nothing
In January, Iran witnessed the brutal whipping of
Roya Heshmati, a 23-year-old woman, subjected to 74 lashes by the police for what was deemed a violation of public morals. She was also asked to pay a fine of 12 million rials (around $25) for not wearing the Muslim veil in public
Roya Heshmati's ordeal began when she shared a picture of herself on social media, boldly walking in Tehran without a headscarf, a gesture seen as an act of defiance against the country's strict dress code.
In late 2022 Mahsa Amini was taken into custody for not wearing hijab properly. Unfortunately, she died in custody. This triggered widespread protests and calls for the overthrow of Iran's theocracy. However, the dissent was met with a heavy crackdown, resulting in over 500 protesters being killed and 22,000 detained.
How women who resist meet brutal ends
These incidents clearly show that women who resist patriarchy have to suffer and meet ends that are not only brutal but also an affirmation of the omnipotence of patriarchy.
Whether a woman submits herself to patriarchy or resorts to resistance, she is oppressed irrespective of her attitude. Naturally, many women take up the path of resistance to initiate a change, build the foundation of feminism and encourage women to take it forward. Even if they meet a brutal end in the process, their presence will be remembered by women who take up the responsibility of carrying the legacy forward.
Hence, women are left with no choice but to revolt and resist patriarchy. Even though their battle is considered futile and not important enough to devote pages of history, it is those battles that bow the seed of revolution.
Women who revolted despite the fear
There have been many protests by women against patriarchy in recent times in which fear of the consequences didn't stop them.
After the death of Mahsa Amini, many female protestors were seen burning hijabs publicly in protest against the government of Iran. Apart from the hijab burning, cutting hair has become a global symbol of protest against Islamic law and to support the concerns of women in Iran. Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist, shared a video of women chopping off their hair in protest against Islamic law. She wrote in the tweet, “Iranian women show their anger by cutting their hair and burning their hijab to protest against the killing of #MahsaAmini by hijab police.”
In 2018, South Korean women started the 4B Feminist Movement to oppose the beauty standards set by patriarchy. They protested by shaving their heads, cutting their hair short, and stopping wearing makeup. Then, in 2019, the movement expanded to oppose misogyny, gender norms, sex, dating and marriage in South Korean society.
In May, Meira Paibis, a group of women from different sections of Manipur, held a protest against the rape of women during Manipur riots. This group of women, bearing torchlight, protested saving women from the animalism of men and the state. Earlier also Meira Paibis protested against violence and rape of women in Manipur.
On July 15, 2004, women made a naked march against the Indian Army because of the brutal rape and murder of a 34-year-old woman. The protests, popularly known as the Kangla Protest, shook the entire nation. 12 women gathered at the Kangla Fort located at the heart of Imphal and the then headquarters of Assam Rifle and disrobed themselves. They held placards that had “Indian Army Rape Us”, and “Indian Army Take Our Flesh” written in red.
Resistance is the only weapon to fight against patriarchy
Resistance, rebellion and revolution are the only weapons for women to fight against patriarchy. The root of patriarchy is so strong that discussion and convincing won't ruffle a leaf. Patriarchy has normalised women's identities as someone submissive with no demands for individual rights. This norm has been so deeply internalised that violence against women seems justified. Women are supposed to bear injustice rather than register complaints against it. They are supposed to adjust rather than revolt.
But how long? How long can a woman suffer as a submissive being? How long will a woman be kept alienated from their basic rights? How long will women be degraded when they have equal representation in the Constitution? Just how long will a bird be caged?
Options are either to die in the cage or to break it and fly without the fear of the patriarchy's nozzle. As it is rightly said, dying as a rebel is better than living with regret.
Views expressed are the author's own.
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