Being a woman is the best!

Being a woman is the best!

Being a woman is not one-dimensional. There's many facets to that, of course. Suchitra Date, a dancer, physiologist and student counsellor tells us more

by Aditi Thirani

There are so many hidden advantages to being a woman feels Suchitra Date. A trained Bharatnatyam Dancer, a physiologist and a counsellor and a student from TISS in Bombay, she would know. So many things, one person... it's talent and hard work rolled into one.

"I feel being a woman is the best thing. I love being one and I don't know what I would do if I were to be a man. I am happy that my husband is not dependant on my income! It gives me a lot of freedom. Many of us are in certain professions because of restrictions of taking care of the family financially. But as a woman, I am free to be extremely creative," says Date.

Adding to the things a woman can do, she says, "A woman can have a child whenever she wants to; a man can't do the same. There is so much flexibility in her life. She can be emotional whenever she wants to. While a man's life according to me becomes so monotonous. But she is expected to be a super-human being. She is measured the way her children perform. Yet she has her freedom of expression. How much I love being a woman. I really don't know what I would do if I was a man," says Suchitra.

That is another side to our normal lives. We keep cribbing about things... but there could be so many ways to look at things so positively. We get the pleasure of creating human beings and it's such a great feeling. Women get all the lovely material like accessories. We can be macho sometimes and feminine at times. We have lot of colours to give to our personality. So much of variety and additionally we have so many excuses for taking breaks.

"But in the process what happens is people tend to underestimate women. They are seen with sympathy which is not appreciated. Its time now that we go hand in hand. And once that happens we'll see life is so beautiful that way. No one is weak... each person is equally important and strong. It's time men learn to be aware that women are decision makers and natural balancers. They must consider their opinion seriously. Woman must teach their boys to respect and understand other woman. That way they'll be really good partners. For a couple to succeed in life, support from both sides is essential," she adds.

But multi-tasking is what every woman has to be perfect at. That's actually a quality most woman possess, be it naturally or born out of necessity. Suchitra says it was really tough being a woman with multiple careers. "People expect too much from my children and they have to suffer the pressure of performing always. I feel so bad for high-achiever parents. Their children have to always go through this. People keep judging you and you are not allowed to lead a normal life. I have tried my best to balance things and have been doing it," adds Suchitra.

After so many things a woman also gets so many chances to pursue their hobbies. She can choose within a range of so many activities. Suchitra Date loves music and loves attending Musical programs and plays as well. She also does social work and is a founder member of Swadhar, an organisation for destitute woman and children. She has been a state level badminton player as well.

"I am waiting for the day when I open the newspaper and there won't be a single report of rape, molestation, dowry or any crime against women. That's the day we will know that women have started taking power. It's time women realise that they are well equipped and they must take care of things beyond just their homes. They can do much more," concludes Suchitra.