A ‘Thank You’ To All The Ads That Have Played With My Insecurities

swati.r1

7 years ago

Editor’s note: This story is in response to Youth Ki Awaaz’s topic for this week – #WomensDay to start conversations on how we can achieve a gender equal society. If you have faced gender-based violence, sexism or misogyny, would like to propose policy reforms or write about what families, friends, workspaces and partners can do to ensure gender parity around them, write to us here.

‘Women-oriented’ feel good advertisements and stories awaken the ‘inner goddess’ in me. I never realised it until a big giant commercial told me so. This article is thanking all such advertisements.

Diamonds

Thank you for telling me that wearing diamonds symbolises how a woman, just like diamonds under high temperature and pressure, brings out the best in situations. Wearing diamonds at workplace will automatically make me a star performer and giving me a gift of diamonds will make me the happiest woman and validate love like nothing else. It invariably makes diamonds my best friend. Thank you diamonds. Without you, I wouldn’t have known that even if you don’t have any resale value, how incomplete my womanhood would be without you.

Watches

Thank you for telling me that women need a watch not to know the time, but to know that being a woman is a god’s gift which resonates in various field of work, life and motherhood. Thank you for convincing me that a delicate watch is what would bring out the best in me. I have stopped wearing watches with big dials as they are ‘reserved’ for men. I realised that it made me a loser.

Chai

If it weren’t for chai, I wouldn’t have had a conscience. I wouldn’t have known how to stand up for my good and realise that ‘mai bhi kuchh hun‘ (even I’m something). Thank you for never changing the fact that irrespective of how empowered a woman is, she cannot avoid making tea.

Diet Food/Health Drinks

Thank you for making me realise that I am fat and ugly and I really need four weeks of starvation to show my midriff in a party.

Online Shopping

Thank you for showing the wise men in the family telling women how easy it is to order online because I live under a rock to know anything digital.

Soft Drinks

Thank you for the sugar rush and calories and daredevil adventure which follows after it. Without the soft drink, my life is presumably very boring.

Insurance

Thank you for telling me about my insecurities and how I need to be independent even after my father/husband/son dies because I never have my own savings and I am bad with finances anyway.

Chocolates And Ice Creams

Thank you for stereotyping that the path to my heart is through bribing me with a chocolate. You abuse me and gift me a chocolate and we are even.

Fast-Moving Consumer Goods

Thank you for convincing me that if I use the products just like a millionaire film star does, I would get rid of dandruff, my skin would become soft like butter and my toilet would smell like paradise.

Thank you.

#Happywomensday