A speech by Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook.
Indeed extremely inspiring. She is urging women to take the ambitious route, to dream big, to lean in and not make decisions on the basis of the future. From this, what I have realised is to live for the present and to live for myself. One of the biggest hurdle in the progress of women is obviously the majority of men and more than them, a lot of women too. That's my understanding. Why accept what the so-called society dictates and why let other women suffer from what one woman suffered? In the name of 'protecting' women, and 'making them behave in a certain way' (will never understand this shit), women are curbed world over. You have to speak out, you have to take your stand and other women especially have to and should support you.
At least the developed world offers equality, but like Sheryl mentions equality isn't quality..you have to push yourself and believe in yourself to reach the top of your job! Well, for developing countries, it's a completely different situation. Women are simply a commodity to be used and abused. Extremely small percentage of women are empowered to think and do what they want. Like me. My parents have given me the complete freedom and they never hold the "you're a woman" sword over my head. And that has given me tremendous confidence to dream, to try, to hope that I can do as I want. When I see and read cases where women do not even possess basic rights (from the extremely rich and educated women just marrying an even richer guy and giving up their career for household chores to the women who are supposed to cover every inch of their body and be beaten for wearing nail polish! http://now.msn.com/now/0525-saudi-nail-polish-defiance.aspx),
it makes me realise, we have a LONG way to go to change people's mindset! If the young lot won't THINK any different, they won't DO any different. Your society doesn't define you and make you. You make your life, whoever you are. Have to stop giving the power to judge you to the world! Live and let live! When will people understand?
Till then, I'm extremely lucky to have such amazing and understanding parents. And I hope I can make a difference.
