Diversity is divine and division is human. In the grand scheme of Nature, differences in color, size and gender create perfect balance and harmony just like different notes of a symphony produce melody that soothes our souls. When we work with the Nature life blossoms and when we go against it we create death and destruction. It has been the story of human race since the beginning of time. Nature is also inclusive while exclusion is the brain child of human beings. We have divided the earth by drawing the artificial lines on it. We have split human beings on the basis of race, gender, religion and tribes. At present, the gender divide and its negative consequences are in the spotlight and here is my take on that.

Men and Women constitute human race. Their physical anatomy is different but they share a common goal and that is to sustain their race with mutual cooperation. In order for humanity to survive, the equal contribution of men and women is essential. None of them could survive without the coordination and the cooperation of the other. Thus, Nature created men and women with equal proportion. If human race would have followed the path of the Nature, the issue of gender divide would have become irrelevant from day one. Sadly, we defied Nature and opted for an imbalance path that took us into the dark alleys of our history.

The subjugation of women began when men, falsely, assumed that they were mightier than women. They confronted Nature and developed a false sense of superiority complex. As usual, just like any other exploiting entities, men twisted religions and created social taboos that would give them divine endorsement for their actions. The story of creation of Eve from Adam’s rib is present in the scripts of three main monotheistic religions of the world. That story opened the door for women’s subordination to men.

The other religions and customs have their own share of absurdity in this matter. I have not found any nation that has not subjugated and exploited women. While the West has exposed woman’s body and made her a sexual object, the East has choked her by covering her under the fabric of chastity. She is either forced to display her beauty for the eyes of men or confined in the house against her will. The Western Nations claim that they have liberated women by granting them equal rights. Have they really?
The current cases of sexual harassment on a high level of the societies reflect the reality that is quite the opposite. In the East, women are emotionally blackmailed when they are labeled as mothers, sisters, daughters or wives. What about them just being the human beings? The hypocrisies and the contradictions of all nations are appalling in case of women. In the East, a woman is also considered the goddess. The path to paradise lies under the feet of a mother.  Contrary to all this, she is also considered inferior to man. She is abused physically, mentally and emotionally. She is blamed for man’s evil intentions and is required to cover herself completely or at least dress modestly. The West has its own share of women’s subjugation. She is exposed sexually and her body is constantly on display for the pleasure of man. Her beauty and attraction often play greater role in her success. Women are bullied or ignored in schools and offices if they are not attractive. Who knows how many of these women suffer silently and put up with the abuses and neglects of men and the societies.

The movement against sexual harassment is now in full swing. There are lots of women who are participating in the political process. This is a good sign. However, as human beings, we are missing one fundamental truth in this whole hoopla. Instead of talking about women’s rights, we should emphasize on human rights. Power corrupts. It does not matter if power is in the hands of women or men. Whoever has it and if that person does not believe in the fundamental human values, the sufferings for humanity will continue. We have experienced the same analogy in the field of economics when we snatched powers from the capitalists and the landlords and put it in the hands of laborers and farmers. The exploitation continued and even got worst. The same applies here as well.

The women also exploit women and often more than men in many cases. The brutal treatment of mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law against the married women is common in the East. The women, in-charge of the brothel houses all over the world, treat their fellow women shabbily. Men are rightfully blamed for infidelity and extra marital affairs. However, less attention is paid to the participation of women in these affairs. Are they not equally guilty? The point is that it is the folly of human beings and the gender divide is just irrelevant.

Women should also examine about their attitude towards fashion, make-up and dress codes. For centuries women’s psyche has been molded by the desire of men. From their childhood, they are brought up to look good. It is appalling to see the glamour of fashion, display of nudity, jewelry and make-up by the most liberal women on the stages of Hollywood and the beauty pageants. Do these women ever realize why are they so obsessed with their looks and for whom? It has nothing to do with their self respect and dignity. The look of a woman still supersedes all other qualities of her. The pressure of getting married is far higher for women than men. Life as a single woman is much harder even in the West and it is almost impossible in many of the Eastern societies. I urge women to bring changes to this mindset as well.

It is time now for all of us to emphasize on self respect, equality and justice for every human being. The gender divide is against the Nature. We must cherish and obey the laws of Nature. That is the only logical course for us to live in peace and harmony with each other. The relationship between men and women must produce true happiness, inner peace and tranquility. If it does not, then we are on the wrong- footing.