"Beauty is in the streets, tempered with courage."

"Beauty is in the streets, tempered with courage."

Responded by the call of times and of existing realities, women took to the streets and in the fields demanding better working conditions, peace, bread, and justice to take part in the daily doings then dominated by men. And nowadays have come a long way ever since women made those demands, but still have yet to finish what they started.

Amidst reports about unprecedented expansion of women's rights, of girls attending schools and workplaces opened for their employment, seems that age old repressions both from east and west still dominating, be it feudal or capitalistic in character, be it violent, subjugating, or disenfranchisment, simply because they are women.

And still it is an issue. They are limited within the parameters, complimented by fantasies that often disregards prestige and honour, oftentimes even justified by "choice" and "decision". Once this person heared a song about women as if were boxed in a "soapbox" and labeled whether for the home or for beauty, quite limiting isn't it? And if they afforded employment, comes less pay, worse conditions, harassments, of what is equality then and justice? Again it is still an issue. Worse, those who assert rights be end harassed, imprisoned, killed, or simply disappeared simply because for the order's time-repeated view that "it destroys moral fiber."

But amidst the threat still the existing realities is worth compelling to assert changes. If peasants yearned land, workers yearned bread, so is women for justice and opportunities. Opportunities that is different from what is commonly seen in the screen; of beyond parameters the way Women of Sparta willing to take arms than limit into their homes as a form of defending honour, of Soviet nurses be end carrying rifles on the other to to make sure that while tending the wounded comrade was also at the same time kill the invader with her gun, or even women writers like Clara Zetkin, the one behind this event, whom also speaks on behalf of the working class and its rights.

If the old afforded to say that war is for men and motherhood is for women, of girls limiting to church, kitchen, and bed, and still asserted by most even by replacing the church by the shopping mall, perhaps today it isn't for those women who is enlightened and enduring the daily doings of the latter three also decides same as those of men. If the latter continues to assert limiting to those of church or the shopping mall, kitchen, and bed, as well as women agrees upon to it, then of what is Joan of Arc or Gregoria de Jesus? Hua Mulan or Gabriela Silang? Both of them did raise the sword and raised voices high as those of men in armour! They do raise their children but imbued with courage as their partners do in the farm, factory, school, and even the so-called "corporate world" mostly dominated by men! Again, they want to be co-equals of men in both decision and in action, in formulating theory and practise, hence, has to be appraised. Such as what Lenin said:

“Not bad, not at all bad. The energy, willingness and enthusiasm of women comrades, their courage and wisdom in times of illegality or semi-legality indicate good prospects for the development of our work..."

Pardon to use Lenin's, but his message did recognize the capability of women whose experiences did provide wisdom and courage same as those of men. Today's nonsense may again trying to roll anything backwards but with awareness of most should not pass. Limiting women to the house and consumerism? Sorry but women held half of earth and sky, hence women is also in the streets provoking against the order who, whilst behind the trappings of equality and justice is trying to roll anything backwards such as limiting beauty and womanhood to those of superficial fantasies?

Such as today's women's month to be celebrated by mere free passes to light and mass rail transits? Of discounts for shopping sprees? Not all women are like Marie Antoinette as some are willing to be like those of Countess Markievicz! Even the Virgin Mary was chosen by God not to bear his son but to bear the one who redeems by his blood and by her sacrifice! Simply because they are not born for beauty itself alone, but also for courage, the way a rose has both the flower and the thorns.

Hence, beauty is in the streets, tempered with courage.