The stigma of reaction |
That’s it. I have reached the end of my energy. I can’t bear it anymore. I can’t explain or justify myself nor even ask anyone to listen to me any longer. My insides are silent but full of screams that I can’t even hear anymore. Those around me see me as normal but if they see me for what I have become they might be afraid or maybe wouldn’t even care. The irony is, they sometimes do see my other version which is not really me and don’t care enough.It’s sad people wait for drastic measures to take action and care but till then it’s already too late. Until then it’s “Ghaer-Munaasib” (The abnormalization of Female anger/grief).Is emotional availability such as being vulnerable, crying, being soft and sensitive only limited to women? Are these the only emotions left and declared as ‘women property?’What about extreme anger, throwing tantrums, hitting, lust, molestation, mostly shown by men? Aren’t these reactions born through intense passions too or are emotions only pin-pointed toward females?The same reactions caused by external factors amongst women are the same ones that are weaponized against them. Women especially in Kashmiri societies carry the collective trauma of conflict, financial stress and patriarchal expectations in absolute silence. So if some of them explode under this burden they are labelled as ‘crazy’. What a loss.Here’s what the cycle throughout the generations has looked like:• Life-long........