Women don’t come with manual of instructions

The empowerment of women is multifaceted. The several layers, from intellectual development to looks and attitude, show the complexity of the species. Women live in bubbles of their own. They are mysterious, yet they function as magnets.

Contextualising women’s image can be a challenge. Not every woman is the same. Women do not come with an instruction manual. One day, they are happy, and the next day, they are sad. Today they are brave; tomorrow they act like cowards. Women can hide emotions and show happiness from the outside when they are sad on the inside. These are characteristics that work in different circumstances. They are multitaskers. They can change their roles from an angelic mother to a devilish wife. Women’s pretty smiles can hide payback. And, oh, yes, do not cross a woman’s path in the wrong way.

The complexity of defining women, as if this is possible, involves not only biological development but everything else, from political attitudes, social roles, education, and women’s autonomy. These together make them different. Surely, women have their misadventures and inadequacies. A flaw or a wrinkle can throw them into a panic!

In October 2009, during the Royal ‘Meet-the-People Tour’, late Sultan Qaboos in Suhar declared the Oman Women’s Day to be celebrated on October 17. This was such an important announcement. Grown-up women, schoolgirls, college students, working mums, each female I came across (and there were many), was delighted with the declaration.

In Oman, there had been women's associations for decades before the announcement, where women from different villages would gather to support one another with assistance, arts and crafts, small businesses, health awareness, and whatever else was within their local capacity. One of the main objectives of the associations has been to improve women’s economic and social standing. So, declaring Omani Women’s Day came as an endorsement of their previous efforts and provided opportunities for future ventures.

Looking back after all these years, I see more girls entering the workforce, travelling abroad to continue their studies, engaging in scientific research, and being entrepreneurs. They have embraced all the opportunities made available to them. Some hold prestigious jobs in both the public and private sectors. They contribute to political and economic development but do not share political power. Despite the advancements, there are still women and girls far inside the country’s interior who do not yet have access to the same opportunities, mobility, available resources, and cosmopolitan lifestyle as those living in the big cities.

Untangling the complexity of women, the expansion of beauty salons, spas, cosmetic clinics, and cosmetic dentistry is a reflection of the appreciation of and desire for beauty. A line of inquiry points out that beauty, intelligence, and positive characteristics go hand in hand with opportunities in life. It is a type of cognitive bias. It goes further because women’s desire to be beautiful goes along with a process that involves social comparison, social competition, and emotional and behavioural attitudes. Doors are being opened for them. The absence of beauty can lead to damaging social bias and, therefore, fewer opportunities. Many could argue one way or another about this.

Women are not essentially complicated! Social and cultural norms and other elements may have an impact on how they behave. Therefore, women may as well play with the adversities as a buffer by wrapping a range of circumstances around their fingers and turning restrictions into opportunities.

Conceptual arguments about women’s development, feminism, use of technology, sexuality, and wellbeing can lead to a variety of areas for research, but none of these studies would undermine women’s value to society. Women are capable of telling compelling stories. Give them lemons, and they will make lemonade and sow the seeds! Happy Women’s Day in Oman!