The modern woman: who is she?
JYOTHI VIJAYAKUMAR PAARI
When women equate their self-identity with the way they look, can we call it a trend in the forward direction?
— Photo: M. Vedhan
Two Indias:The frail old woman takes a pause as young India forges ahead — confident, self-assured and with a mind of its own. Far from her days of hesitant steps. A picture of contrast caught on camera in Chennai.
Jyothi Vijayakumar Paari
Starting from the social reform movements of the 19th century, bringing women into the mainstream has been one of the focal points of social discourse in India. We can boast of genuine efforts in this direction during the Indian national movement. But, in Independent India, there was no remarkable progress in this regard till the 1990s, maybe due to the lack of consistent and steady efforts by both women's organisations and the political establishment.
What made the situation change for the better was the introduction of a liberalised economic regime in the 90s. The fundamental changes in the economy have resulted in parallel transformations in the attitude of women towards themselves and that of society towards them.
The job opportunities that the new economic regime has brought in for women and the resultant financial independence have created a new confidence and a spirit of freedom, which we term “modern,'' in a large number of women, mostly urban and middle-class.
The main reason behind this modernity has been the large-scale foray of women into the male-dominated workspace, mainly in the service sector. This phenomenon has altered the equation between genders. Women occupy many top jobs; caste, religion, and nationality do not determine their choice of a life partner; marriage and motherhood do not hinder them from pursuing careers of their choice; motherhood becomes a choice than a compulsion; and financial and emotional independence and equality in relationships guide their choices. The body and the attire become their most-favoured arenas of self-expression. Instead of getting trapped in the age-old conceptions of femininity, they tailor tradition to suit their lives.
There is no doubt that all these point towards the right direction. But are these parameters sufficient enough to term something as “modern”? They are not. First, in the Indian situation, what we call ‘modern' should be able to effortlessly accommodate both urban and rural, and both ‘eastern' and ‘western'. When a social process gets judged as modern only on the basis of some characteristics that only the urban and the western can afford to manifest, isn't there some serious lack in the way we perceive ‘modernity''?
Second, even though this modernity has been successful in transcending the limitations of traditional social divisions, can we deny the role that “class”, the biggest dividing factor, plays in these modern lives? Also, when financial position in society becomes the foundation on which many of these attitudes survive, will we ever be able to call millions of women, who have neither money nor the means for it, ‘modern'?
Third, the body and the attire are of utmost importance in our definition of female modernity. But when women get obsessed with their bodies, fall prey to cosmetic and glamour-based industries and equate their self-identity with the way they look, can we call it a trend in the forward direction?
Fourth, this increasing intertwining of self-identity with the consciousness about the body has created a set of stereotypes that looks down upon anything political, social, and intellectual as non-glamorous. Can we term this ‘modern'?
Sense of apathy
Fifth, there is also a sense of apathy towards anything non-urban, which is another characteristic feature of this modernity visible in most of the urban women. Can something that is not inclusive be called modern?
Finally, what we can call modern, in case of women, especially in the Indian context, cannot be imitative. In a country of diverse traditions and cultures, it can only be original, evolved indigenously with the backing of the constructive elements of the tradition, and absorbing ideas from progressive women's movements across the world.
The modernity that women epitomise should be all-inclusive, viewing all women, all humanity, in terms of the essential human spirit only. No division should find a space in it. It should be a beautiful blend of the physical, mental, social, and spiritual. Most importantly, it should ultimately result in the liberation of minds. This may sound Utopian. But, till we reach this stage, can we call ourselves modern?
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