The I stood up-Blogathon

Have you had such a moment when you stood up? Presenting the ‘I Stood Up’ blogathon! Write about a situation in your life when you stood up – for yourself or for another.

 

This was the question asked by womensweb. I kept thinking thinking, but couldn’t recollect anything strongly. Then I thought why not take up the points raised by womensweb and look by in my life, if I did anything? Oh yes, it looks like I have almost raised my voice for every topic given below.

Against inequality- injustice happens all the time. At times, it is injustice just for you, at times it is for your group, sometimes to entire human race.

First injustice I noticed, or heard from my mother that, my birth as a girl was not accepted by my father or family, but my boy cousin’s was celebrated. This didn’t stop there, but grew with me. One fine day when I was 8, I protested to my grandmother, saying I won’t accept this indifference, and I needed justice. I wanted to play with new toys, study well and get all benefit what my boy cousin gets. I was so adamant, and in fact threatened my grandma that, I would complain to police about the inequality at home. Though family laughed at the moment, but realized the depth of my feelings (as I protested without taking food for a day or so) and changed. My father changed so much that he just wanted his next child to be girl. Now, family welcomes birth of girl child more enthusiastically.

Against harassment- it was not that I reacted to harassment very first when I faced it. It took time for me to gain up the courage. This courage came only after I discussed a particular eve-teasing incident with my neighbor’s daughter. I was in school, and she was in college. This happened in front my mother. My mother being by ever support asked me to speak out. She said, “how would I know what happened until you open ur mouth.” That was enough for me to open up. I   knew she was there for whatever I reacted. Next time whenever someone tried to feel me up, I always give a stare to him, to confirm whether it is intentional or accidental. When I know that is intentional, I just ask him what he wanted, loud enough for others to hear and look at the guy. ( I am not writing a particular incident as it happens regularly when I travel in bus).i am still standing up against the harassment faced in public transportimage courtesy: link

 Against oppression- this happened when I was in school. A particular teacher was partial towards Brahmin community. She would give them more marks and treat my fellow classmates who belong to the group well. At one point I couldn’t take it anymore. There is a particular Tamil slang which is used by Tamil Brahmin. So, I learnt the language and submitted my project work to my teacher and said,” project-a attu lendu kondavandu submit panituen. Nenga ada seta pathu,full mark podunga.” ( I brought my project from home, please see it and put full marks). She understood my intention of using the language and stopped being partial. I stood up for myself and my classmates against oppression.

 Against prejudice- while my college admission, my parents asked me to write all engineering entrance. But I was adamant in writing architecture entrance. It was by default taken that I don’t know much about the world. Somehow I wanted to prove them that I had done enough of research and can write an entrance exam even without coaching. Yes, I proved them that I could do it by bagging a state rank and becoming an architect now. I stood up for myself and proved that I can think ahead of my age.

image courtesy:link

 Against discrimination- I am the only female in my dept. I didn’t have any problem. But, when the site work was on, my boss never asked me to go to site as I was pregnant. But, other colleagues started making statements saying that I was not given much of work being women but take full salary. This irritated me. I spoke back saying that, I am being paid for the work I do. I don’t have to answer anyone other than my boss. They are no one decide on my capabilities. I also went through all the procedure like them for entering this particular job profile. On requirement I would work on night duties too. there were days, i was asked to work on weekends too despite the gender. i was more eager as i had to prove them. i even took few site analysis alone, climb up and down the scaffolding, talk to labors and came up with good results. now i am considered as part of team and not looked down because of my gender in the construction field. I stood up for women community working in a construction profession.

Against injustice- property division.  My parents wanted to give me more share, as I was the elder and help them out in finances. I felt bad and asked them to reconsider and give equal share to me and my sister. I stood up against the injustice in a relation based on responsibility undertaken.

there are many instances when everyone has stood up. few are note worthy, few are life saving and few are just for self satisfaction. noted ones are published on papers and take media’s attention. few just say thanks and go away and few instances we say sabash to ourselves.

now my only aim is to make child child aware of her rights and act judicially.