Arrey She must have slept with...

So, every time someone says this to me that they find my story very inspirational or they are really impressed by what I have achieved, my default instinct is to say," Hain sach me, thoda detail me batao na please" You could say that it is my inner child coming into play or maybe I am too childish but I think I have come a long way from where I started and so, it is absolutely natural for me to get so excited upon being appreciated.

My personal life has been good, but in all honesty, my professional life has always been the kind of example that would make others feel good about themselves. I mean, I have actually used it to boost people's morale when they felt low about why were things not working in their favour. In all honesty, I have thoroughly enjoyed those smiles filled with pity for me. You see, knowing that somebody is in a worse situation always makes us feel good about ourselves and I have never shied away from being that example.

There is so much I want to write right now. There are absolutely so many stories but something happened two days ago and I was reminded of this particular incident. It's still fresh in my mind and then the other day I saw the perpetrator posing as a feminist.

So, it was back in college, and I had bagged a PPO and someone commented that I got it because I slept with the guy I was reporting to! All because, this self-proclaimed genius couldn't get it, he found an easy way out by demeaning it. What made it even worse was the fact that one of my so-called friends stood there and laughed and never even bothered to tell me about it.

Anyway, things like these never remain hidden and I got to know it too and I chose to ignore it then. I thought it would fizzle out but then, do such things ever do?

A few months later, the discussion was opened afresh and this time I had had enough.

So, I did what I could do the best- I confronted!

I went to the guy's dorm and asked him flat, why he said what he said. He tried to act smart but then I ended it with one statement- "See, maybe this is what you grew up seeing, that if women had to grow, they had to sleep with others. I am sorry for your childhood."

Did this make that guy stop? I am not sure, I don't think so! Did it give me closure- sort of!

But, there was one thing that happened- I stood up for myself and the people who heard it got to know that girls can stand up for themselves.

As women, it isn't uncommon for us to face such situations. Not so surprisingly, it isn't just men who try and demean us, it is women too! I honestly don't understand the logic but this mentality of seeking male validation is so deeply ingrained that women really enjoy sitting with guys and bitching about the other women. While I cannot remember, I must have done that too at some point in time. Just that now I try and avoid it. However, there are women who support other women as well and I think that is why there has been a lot of change too.

The other day, on Shark Tank, a woman confronted Ashneer on a question and that if it was being asked only because she was a woman. I could see that the guys couldn't relate to it but Namita could instantly connect. I think a lot of poison gets filled in our hearts, just like that poison-filled ice shaped water body on Pluto!

After all, we are also humans and a human can take in only so much.

However, I also feel that making a hue and cry around it doesn't really help. As a kid, I used to think that if people know the truth, they will support it. As a matter of fact, people want to hear and believe in their truth alone. Hence, shouting yours has little to no value. The max it can do is to start a #MeToo movement but it too would fizzle out.

So, what do you do then? The world had been unfair, how do you fight it? Well, you fight it! You just fight it, You fight harder maybe, Crack jokes about growing a beard and shut their mouth with merit!

At least I try and do it, I am also super savage sometimes and sometimes I simply go about offending people.

What does that make people think about me- whatever they want!

I simply work! I may not be able to reach where I deserve to be even with twice the effort of the average male. I may have to still put too much effort into my looks to be taken seriously and my beauty (or the lack of it) might still take precedence over the kind of brains I bring to the table, but I would have made the journey all the more easier for the ladies that would come after me- OR so I choose to believe in.

I think, in this life, it will give me a good enough reason to have a good night sleep and that is all that matters to start afresh the next day!

Doesn't it!