Men, women and their relationship
Wednesday, 9 March 2016
We should start from the basics of giving more life skills to both boys and girls in our education by gradually moving to mixed educational settings in all our leading schools
Wednesday, 9 March 2016
The first International women’s Day was held in 1911. After more than 100 years, we women look better statistically, but, we are not any better in reality, in the Sri Lankan context at least.
Today, a day after Women’s Day, after all the speeches are made, l think we should get down to the real issue of men, women and the not-so-healthy relationship between the two genders in Sri Lanka. In fact, if I could, I would name the day as ‘Men & Women Day,’ a day to reflect on our relationships with each other – at home, at work and in society.
In our grandmothers’ or mothers’ time, when men sat around talking politics or anything that was non-domestic, it was natural that women talked about children and other strictly domestic issues. Ironically, that seems to be the case still.
Social gatherings in Sri Lanka, irrespective of class, will degenerate into a segregated affair where men gather around bottles hard liquor, talking politics and other seemingly-important stuff, while women choose the fizzy sweet drinks to fret about the children, their schooling and difficulties of getting help in the kitchen.
High court judges, corporate lawyers, director of this and that, it does not matter, we all play a script handed down to us from our grandmothers’ time. Listen to both sides carefully and conclude for yourself. The quality of the conversation on both sides can improve with some mixing.
Today, a day after Women’s Day, after all the speeches are made, l think we should get down to the real issue of men, women and the not-so-healthy relationship between the two genders in Sri Lanka. In fact, if I could, I would name the day as ‘Men & Women Day,’ a day to reflect on our relationships with each other – at home, at work and in society.
In our grandmothers’ or mothers’ time, when men sat around talking politics or anything that was non-domestic, it was natural that women talked about children and other strictly domestic issues. Ironically, that seems to be the case still.
Social gatherings in Sri Lanka, irrespective of class, will degenerate into a segregated affair where men gather around bottles hard liquor, talking politics and other seemingly-important stuff, while women choose the fizzy sweet drinks to fret about the children, their schooling and difficulties of getting help in the kitchen.
High court judges, corporate lawyers, director of this and that, it does not matter, we all play a script handed down to us from our grandmothers’ time. Listen to both sides carefully and conclude for yourself. The quality of the conversation on both sides can improve with some mixing.
An uphill task
But, it is an uphill task. In the corridors of power in Sri Lanka, corporate or political, women’s influence is still largely through pillow talk, the illicit kind in particular. Scandals, in the past or the present, are always flavoured with sex. Sexual exploits of ageing politicos rejuvenated with power as the aphrodisiac make the news. Seen as the norm, these behaviours are now beginning to be questioned.
See more >>>But, it is an uphill task. In the corridors of power in Sri Lanka, corporate or political, women’s influence is still largely through pillow talk, the illicit kind in particular. Scandals, in the past or the present, are always flavoured with sex. Sexual exploits of ageing politicos rejuvenated with power as the aphrodisiac make the news. Seen as the norm, these behaviours are now beginning to be questioned.
