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IRAGMEVTS OF A PRISONER'S DIARY
describe, in order to dispcl tlie bogey of sex-war : “ The commoncst misunderstanding is that the inovement is supposed to create a rist between inen and women by bringing into play a spirit of sex-rivalry, Sox-competition and Scx-war. It is argued that, instcad of bringing about peace and harmony into an alrcadly distracted world, the movement creates new issues leading to dissensions between the two parts of humanity which are :lestined to live together u unitary life, and without whose co-operation the world cannot exist. To give this interpretation to the movement is to deny its objective, which is not to set woman against man, but to bring about peace and harmony and true co-operation between ihc two."
Who would fall foul of this objective, and yet claim to be the upholder of a noble ideal of womanhood ? Perhaps the Indian apologist would contend that that exactly is the ideal of Indian womanhood. Well, the fact is that it is not. Let the testimony come from expericnce.
“Men and women have no cioubt lived their lives togсther all over the world and it all time, but they have not lived together the lives of truc companionship. There might have been a dead peace in their relationship, but that peace has not been the peace of life and harmony. There has been, from time immemorial, a spirit of superiority and inferiority in the relation betwecn man and woman, of exploitation of woman by man. This 174
