Breaking the Silence: Voicing the Un-voiced

For patriarchs, a woman, who do not submit to their ideology is "flawed"

When I come to reflect on myself, I feel, I am a person completely made up of perfect flaws, furthermore perfected with time and it is this imperfection that define me, impart me the individuality. These flaws, symbolizes rejection of stereotype. They are the signs of resilience, resistance, growing up to believe in myself.

Patriarchy, works as a potter, shaping and molding a woman to its norms, crafting ‘perfectly’ to hold its standards and ethics, to serve its value system. In a patriarchy, a woman is denied an opportunity to sculpt herself, in a free form, taking any shape. To achieve freedom, she has to let go the water of patriarchal beliefs. A perfectly crafted pot has to suffer a drop, bang relentlessly, and have to crack or break to pieces. The art lies in the strength of gathering and putting back the pieces as desired, mending the cracks with the gold of resolute determination for self actualization. Becoming flawed.

I am not just any woman, I am a woman born in a so called lower caste, who has to face discrimination two folds, one for being a woman and other for being a low birth. Feminism, which should be all encompassing, cannot voice the issues of this doubly discriminated lot, not that they are not talked of or discrimination is not taken up by the feminist, though my years of observation has lead me to the conclusion, for the emancipation of the backward class woman, she herself will have to build a platform to articulate her issues, because it is she who understands and assimilates the situation better than anyone else.

I see countless excellent activists, who are common women with awareness, having minimum basic education, working tirelessly, to bring about change in their lives as well as their community. These are the uncelebrated and undocumented women, creating a space for themselves. But their voices are subdued. These are the women, who are continuously placed at the bottom of the hierarchy and are objectified by their males, victimized by the upper class men and overlooked by the political class.

It is to give voice to these grass root leaders, I have joined the VOF program, even though very hard pressed for time. I am not a writer, or a journalist thus is confronted with writing block, and is unable to write their stories on their behalf effectively. By writing these stories, I wish to garner some help for them as well as empower them with the voices of the world, like you.
“Ironing of breast” issue published in world pulse brought me to this forum. I became a passive member of World Pulse way back in 2011. I see a prospect for the voices of the long silenced, trafficked, displaced, violated women be heard, by presenting their voice, for them, in this forum.

I need help to break the silence of my words and voice the un-voiced.

(Submitted for the section of extra credit)
Breaking the Silence

Words are tied in knots of silence!
I wished to say a lot of things
things that are caged
in the small corner of my heart
holding zillion expressions
under the soft coverlet of silence
SILENCE which is only visible...

The pulsating world beckons,
Rise, let this silence speak for you and me
let the unsaid lava flow freely through it
that unsaid lying beneath layered chastity
let this volcanic sin erupt in silent flames
envision! the flying ash touch the sky
settling down comfortably on rocks and sand
for ages to donate the barren with fertility
sprouting tender shoots and poppy buds
of equality and justice
let this silence speak for you and me!