I recently received a WhatsApp forward similar to the image below.

The person in question being an ex-boss who I highly respect and consider to be a feminist for the way he has treated me during the time we were working together.

‘Write about this,’ he urged.

At first, I was taken aback at reading the accompanying text in his message. I thought, ‘How dare someone tell me what to write about. Did they not know thoughts and my expression are my own, and I won’t be dictated by someone else.’

A while ago I watched this wonderful video. It was heartening to note that some men already have joined the feminist movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YohCam4mNw&t=3067s

It was then I realized this wasn’t an innocent forward – this wasn’t my ex-boss being sexist. It was not a reflection of his personal views of what women are or should be. In fact, it was him calling out the misplaced sexism in the image.

It took me a moment to realize that I wasn’t just being asked to write what I thought but what others thought too – that I needed to be the voice calling out the everyday sexism and patriarchy that at times seems innocuous.

I often believe that we writers have the responsibility of effecting a change through our words.

This post on WomensWeb is the result of a culmination of all those realizations.

Featured on WomensWeb. Featured Posts are a careful selection of highly relevant and interesting posts picked by WomensWeb editors each day.

Read the post by clicking the below link. Do share your thoughts on the article, or on any similar incidents you’ve experienced and how you dealt with them.

The Day After Women’s Day – A Look at Everyday Sexism