If I was a woman, 7000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, I could very well be a Pharaoh, a goddess. I would be worshipped. If not, I could still follow my own dreams. I could choose to have goals outside of my home or I could choose to devote my time to raise my kids. I could marry and divorce at my own free will. I would be more than just an object of entertainment. I would be an equal being who could demand respect and due rights.
If I was a woman, 3500 years ago, in ancient India, my status on society would be determined by the social class I was born in. If I was a Brahma or equivalent by birth, I would have a bright future; education, career and property. Otherwise, my world would have been dark. Ignominy and deprivation would have been my life. I wouldn’t be pure enough for interaction to many and just another number in the domestic work force.
If I was a woman, 2800 years ago, in ancient Rome, my voice would be unheard and my existence minimal. Unless I came from a very elite society, my sole purpose would have been to bear legitimate sons who could inherit their father’s property. My clothes would have been the symbol of my status. A shorter dress would have meant that I am a prostitute, a shameful female, free to be taken by the lustful. I would have to live the rest of my life the way my male “owners” deemed fit for me.
If I was woman, 2500 years ago, in ancient Greece, my role in society would be submissive. My wedding day would be the day I would dread the most. My role as a wife would that of an object of satisfaction. I wouldn’t be allowed to pursue a career nor would be in charge of my own property, if I had any. I would be told by my regular rapists that I will get harassed and assaulted by strangers if I dare leave home.
If I was a woman, 2200 years ago, in Imperial China, I would have been deemed good only for sexual favors and household chores. I would have been a children breeding machine to my husband and an extra pair of hands if he needed help out in the fields. My best shot at life would have been to get married to a rich gentleman and stay loyal to him and keep him pleased to avoid inhumane punishments
If I was a woman, 1500 years ago, in medieval Europe, I would mainly be a helping hand to the men. I would have been considered morally weak and mentally inferior. Unless I had royal blood running through my veins or a richer “gentleman” to provide for my comforts, I would have been living a harsh and unforgiving life. I would not have been able to marry or divorce on my own will. I would have no dreams of my own.
If I was a woman, 1400 years ago, in Islamic Caliphate, I would have been much better off than many of my counterparts in the world. I could have my own business, pursue education, teach, and even join government. In the early Islamic Empire, I could have been Aisha or Fatima: a preacher and a professor. I could have been Nusayba or Khawla: a warrior and a soldier. But I would have been less fortunate with passing time. I would have been more restricted in my social roles when men started confusing cultural norms with religious teachings. I would have chosen to be born earlier rather than later, if I could.
If I was a woman, 200 years ago, during the Victorian era, my destiny would solely be determined by the color of my skin. Either way, I wouldn’t be where I would have wanted to be. If white, I would have been considered weak, yet expected to meet higher moral standards. I would be educated, but only to be the “angel” of the house. I could either be a housewife and a respectable woman by getting married to an elder man early on in life or be an object of desire to serve unmarried young men in exchange for money. If of color, I would have been a slave, a commodity for free labor, an exotic object to satisfy fetishes of the “superior” race.
If I was a woman today, I would have a very active yet very demanding role in the society. I wouldn’t be far from where women before me were thousands of years ago. Shorter dresses would still be considered immoral on my part. I would still have to face the double standards of society. I would still be paid less than my male counterparts. I would still be expected to take care of the house and raise children on my own. I would still be looked at as an inferior being, an object, a commodity, or a trophy by many rich and poor men alike. I, however, could be a businesswoman, a lawyer, a doctor, a professor, a soldier, a scholar or whatever I would want to be unlike most of my counterparts in history. I would at least have a better shot at fighting the battle that has been fought since time immemorial.
