I am a woman.

I as a woman am offended when in the name of religion women are expected to sacrifice.
Recently I was faced with an argument that a religious practice called Karwa Chauth.
A practice in the Indian faith where women fast all day long without food and water for the long
life of their husband and eat only after the moon is out. I like anyone else would want to wish well on my spouse. Though why the need to fast is my first question and secondly why women? Should it not go both ways? Why can men not observe this practice for the well being of women in their lives? Women who marry them, live with them, give them kids, take care of homes, also cook at times, as per Indian tradition they leave all that they know behind to give the men a life, make their families their own, their parents give dowries, pay for lavish and extravagant weddings, they even get tortured by in laws for in factions like infertility.
The whole premise of my question is why in this time and era do women still fear? Our parents spent as much time, money and love on us as much as men? What then gives men the gall to presume they are superior?  Why sell ourselves short? Why not teach our daughters that they are worth it. They should not settle and never be with anyone who or his family does not respect her and her family which is common humanity.
From ancient times women have been treated like chattel. They were bartered like commodity, they were plundered, raped and sodomized as per convenience. Is it not enough? We have stepped into the 21st century, we aspire to reach the far galaxies and planets and yet we cannot respect human beings equally?
The verbatim definition of feminism is "the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men."
 Is it not time we upheld it and respect women by providing equal rights as a society in India and the world? 

I am beautiful...you are beautiful...we are all beautiful!!

Yes, I am. It took me a very very long time to say that....and much longer to believe it. When someone calls you names and points out a physical uniqueness, it hurts. Just like you call someone fat, deaf, retard, gay, brown, shortie, skinny, blind, darkie, paki, etcetra...ahh...did you hear something that has been said to you? It hurts doesn't it?
Am I sensitive...you betcha I am. So would anyone else be who has feelings. Yes its called being decent, respectful and civilized. Now I am not asking anyone to be hypocritical. One can say what one thinks. Just be mindful of people's feelings is what I ask.
This is a much bigger issue than one would perceive. For one these are labels people give to people to make fun of them and some in the misguided opinion that they are doing them a favor by being blunt. Well, honestly these labels and name calling hurts. Don't we tell children not to call their peers names? Do we not tell them to be respectful and polite? Why? If you are going to go around calling people names? You think your child will hear what you are saying or ape what you are doing? Then what? They grow up and replicate a rude and insensitive society and continue to propagate such behavior.
It is not only a over weight person or any other physical short coming person that feels hurt. Have you thought of a beautiful girl. When you tell her she is gorgeous she feels good. But then any body randomly calling her Hotty, Sexy, Babe.... and cat calling and whistling. Does it not hurt her? Did she ask to be attractive. Most women will tell you they are shy and cringe at such attention. Now some people might say  boo hoo, poor little attractive girl. Yet, she is being labeled as well. My beef is not with just calling people names but also understand that people have feelings and those feelings get hurt.
Do not defend such people by saying its their culture, they are old timers, its endearing. Where will it stop then? Educate them. It might fall on deaf ears. It might be like banging your head on a brick wall, but in the end you have to TRY. By throwing your hands up and saying what can we do? Ignore such people. You are also passively encouraging such behavior. Break the cycle. Say no. Push back. Don't be aggressive or rude...by all means be civil. But find a way to let such people know that it is not okay to call people names even if they thought it was funny. It is not. It is annoying.
We want to leave this world a better place not worse.
When we look at a coming of age movie or read a book we usually clap and talk incessantly about how brave the protagonist was and fought for their identity and earned our respect. Well, why can you not take it one step further and bring the respect home? Recognize your flaws and at least try to work on them. Stop others from indulging in that kind of behavior.

There is an Indian saying by a poet Kabir-

"बड़ा हुआ तो क्या हुआ , जैसे पेड खजूर !
पंथी को छाया नहीं, फल लगे अति दूर !!"

Translation- It doesn't matter how big you get, just like a date/palm tree. 
                   Until you do not provide a weary traveler any shade or fruit ,
                                       you are of no consequence!