An Opinion on Women’s Life (Part 3 : An Open Letter to Women)

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Dear Women,

All of you are beautiful. No matter what’s your skin color, hair style, short or tall, thin or thick. Don’t let the others dictate you about how the beauty looks like. You better define your own beauty. Don’t trust the beauty standard that much. If you’re more thankful, you’ll start to love yourself. Later, you’ll realize that everyone is special on their own way.

Dear Women,

You aren’t only about your face and body. You have brain. You have talent. You have beautiful heart and soul. You have the right to grow up. You have the right to have your choices. You have the right to learn anything you want. You have the right to be respected. You have the right to be treated equally. You have the right to speak up your mind. Don’t let them underestimate you! Keep your head up and show them who you truly are!

Dear Women,

You might have high academic degree. You might have high salary. You might have high position. But, you need to know your position in your household. Control your ego. Be humble. Respect and obey your husband. Be a good mother to your children.

Dear Women,

Doing chores, cooking, giving the best service to your husband, doesn’t mean you’re his maid. It doesn’t mean that he’s your boss. That’s your responsibilty as a wife. That’s a kind of how you express your gratitude of his sacrifice toward you. Instead of complaining how hard your chores, why don’t you discuss it with your husband? Remember, I said DISCUSS! Not ARGUING! Not FIGHTING! So, please talk to him heart to heart and control your emotions.

Dear Women,

You shouldn’t attack each other just to catch men’s attention. You shouldn’t offend and judge another women who have different opinion, value, choices with you. “Girls compete each other, women empower one another”. So, can you see the difference?

Dear Women,

Don’t hide yourself behind the statement, “lady’s first” when you see an an old man doesn’t get a seat on a public transportation! Cause the one who must be prioritized more is him, not you. How if he’s sick? How if he’s so exhausted and can’t stand up for a long time? How if he’s your own father and he’s treated like that? Just because you’re women, doesn’t mean you must always be prioritized first. There’s time or situation that you should succumb for the common good.

Dear Women,

It’s okay if you hate patriarchy. It’s okay if you hate toxic masculinity. It’s okay if you hate gender inequality. But, if you hate men, I think you should fix your mind. Cause men and women aren’t rival. They’re partner. So, they should be together to make the world a better place to stay.

I wrote this letter not only for you. It’s my self-reminder too. In this world where women haven’t free from sexual harassment, objectification and discrimination yet, I hope women can fight for their rights, but also knowing and taking their responsibilities without too much excuses.

With love and respect,

Luna

An Opinion on Women’s Life (Part 2 : What’s Wrong With Smart Women?)

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A smart person always looks more attractive in my eyes.

Some of women are afraid of having dreams, ambitions or just being smart.

“Don’t dream too high. Don’t be too smart cause men won’t like you“

“Don’t dream too high. Don’t be too smart, if you’ll end up getting married and being housewife only“

Ironically, those statements are spoken by women too (mostly).

Ok, let me tell you something.

Women must be smart and well–educated. A well-educated person is different from a person who’s attended school and got academic degree. Degree and diploma are just signal that you’ve attended, then graduated from school or university. But, they’re not necessarily show how well-educated you are.

Have you ever known someone who’s not attended school or university, but, her/his knowledge is no joke? Have you ever known someone who’s decided to drop out of school/university, but being successful at very young age? Well, I don’t tell you that school isn’t important. I just want to emphasize that one of characteristics every well-educated people have, are never stop learning from anyone or anything. School, university or whatever you said, is not the only place to study. Every place in this whole world is our school and everyone is our teacher.

Let’s back to the topic!

Smart women always know how to handle and overcome the problem. They know how to put themselves in every place, time and situation. Being smart women have nothing to do with their life choices as a working mom or stay at home mom.

Now, imagine if your husband asks you for your consideration or advice on important and serious thing, then what’d you say to him? Please, don’t say that you’d answer, “up to you”. Because men will be annoyed if you always answer “up to you” on everything they ask.

Imagine if your children come to you with their innocent yet unpredictable questions, then, how could you explain to them (especially if your children are still underage)? In Islamic beliefs, a mother is the first madrasa for her children. So, how could a mother educate her children, if she has no knowledge at all?

There’s nothing wrong with smart women as long as they stay humble with their smartness. So, women should care about their brain and attitude too. Not only their beauty, make up or fashion. And if you have a boyfriend or crush who can’t appreciate your smartness (for example), I’d say that it’s time to find another man cause he doesn’t deserve you.

Have a great day, everyone. Don’t forget to be happy.

For previous article you can click on https://lunaseptalisa.wordpress.com/2020/05/05/an-opinion-on-womens-life-part-1-working-mom-vs-stay-at-home-mom/

An Opinion on Women’s Life (Part 1 : Working Mom vs Stay at Home Mom)

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photo by Daria Obymaha from pexels

In Indonesia, we always celebrate Kartini’s Day every April 21st. I know it’s so late, but, it’s okay to write this topic today. As long as there’re women who are discriminated, labelled or stigmatized, I have the right to speak up anything about it. Anytime, anywhere.

First, I don’t want to claim myself as a feminist. Because I think I can speak up anything I care/interest/know about without labelling myself. And I won’t force you to agree with what I write here.

Ok, then. Back to the title.

Woman is a multi–role creature. They can be daughter, sister, wife, mother, member of society, citizen of country even a leader of the group/organization/institution/country. Woman is a multi–tasking person too. Have you ever seen a woman who’s doing chores while holding her baby? That’s one of a proof.

Today, women have the same opportunity to get better education and pursue their career. Then, the debate between working mom vs stay at home mom appears on public.

Working mom often assume that stay at home mom waste their knowledges, talents, degrees, achievements, opportunities etc. Meanwhile stay at home mom assume that working mom are too ambitious, selfish and not taking care of their families well. Sometimes, stay at home mom use religious dogma (I won’t mention certain religion here cause I don’t want to stereotyping them) to offend working mom. Meanwhile working mom, sometimes, use feminism issues to strike back.

Well, instead of arguing, why don’t we support and respect each other’s choice?

Like I said before, woman is a multi-role creature. Women have the right to choose what’s the best for their life and future. Whether they choose to be working mom or stay at home mom, they could have gone through an uneasy inner conflict. We might not know how hard the pressure they’re received from family or society.

So, if you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by supportive people and enviroment (parents, siblings, partner, friends, etc), that’s great. But, how about them, who are raised in very conservative family and society?

Have a great day, everyone. Don’t forget to be happy.

The First 10 Days of Ramadhan (Not A Bedtime Story)

Assalamualaikum, Ramadhan!

How do you feel today? Please, forgive us for not giving you a warm and cheerful greeting like previous years. It doesn’t mean that we’re not happy for your coming. But, this pandemic makes us to stay at home for school, work and pray. In other words, we make our home as a center of our activities, including praying. Yeah, you know, prevent is better than cure.

Although there’s no greeting like usual, I’m still thankful to Him for giving me health and chance to meet you again. And I didn’t realize that first 10 days will pass soon. So, there’s something I want to confess.

I’m sorry if I still let my laziness control me. I feel like I treat you so badly by not showing my gratitude and interest toward you. I still often procrastinate to pray on time. I still often prioritize worldly pleasure over the more important things. And this heart still keeps hatred, jealousy, prejudice etc. It makes me think, am I too weak so the devil inside me can’t be defeated easily?

Well, if you feel disappointed, I can understand why. Cause if I were you, I’d feel the same. So, would you like to give me chance on 20 days left?

Yogyakarta, May 3rd, 2020-10.22 p.m.

Poem | A Devil in My Nightmare

photo from pexels

Don’t tell a lie!
Everyone knows,
the scratched truth you told
an angelic face you showed
how you act like a gentleman

Don’t tell a lie!
Everyone knows,
what you hide behind your mask
a devil smile, a devil’s horn
when you thought that you’re successful in trapping an innocent soul

Take off your cloak
Before it wraps you too tight
and you won’t be able to breathe
Take off your crown
Before it sticks too tight
and you’ll find it difficult
to make your head up and straight

Your mask, your cloak, your crown
Why do you have to remind me of my nightmare?

Yogyakarta, May 1st, 2020-03.23 p.m.