Celebrating International Women’s Day

It was International Women’s Day on Friday and I’ve been spending a couple of days thinking a little bit about the issues affecting Sikh and/or Punjabi women. We’ve previously talked a lot about issues like gender equality in Punjabi culture, intimate partner violence, workplace inequities, period stigma, and female feticide. We’ve also explored issues like self-confidence and self-doubt. It is this doubt that drives the beauty industry and keeps us caught up into something that practically, expends large amounts of time and energy with no long-term benefit in the journey of our soul.

We have so much to celebrate though, as we remember the strong and resilient women from our Sikh history. The word Kaur reminds me that I have an identity, I belong to the Guru and Guru Ji reminds me that I am equal. I am celebrating my ability as a Canadian to be able to embrace my culture and religion in doing things like kirtan and going to the Gurdwara, to be able to raise my children in my culture one day and to teach them my language. Certainly my mother did that for me and I will carry it on. 

There’s so many women in my life that I can celebrate, all for different reasons, because they inspire me deeply. I am humbled by their stories and honoured to know them because they are warriors. I loved this image I saw on pinterest (from All About Sikhism): “Why blend in when you were born to stand out.” Although there's a Singh pictured, I feel it also exemplifies all the women that have played important roles in my life because we were all born to stand out. These are women who have blossomed amongst destruction and despite all the challenges they faced, they embraced their ability to flourish. We still have a long way to go as a society, but I am really proud of everyone who is working towards creating an environment in our lives that is healthy and safe for women. 

Reference (images)

https://twitter.com/AllAboutSikhism

http://www.sikhpoint.com/editor-desk/sikhnet-focuses-lens-sikh-women/