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by Afreeha Jawad

There's nothing in a woman's anatomy that is not spared the indignity of a commodity. Rings of all kinds adorn her ears, nose, toes and fingers not to forget in certain cultures lips, naval, tongue as well. Her neck is bedecked with necklaces and throatlets.

Her hands with bracelets, bangles that dangle and anklets for ankles - Oh! gosh now let me think.All kinds of paint for lips, eyebrows and eye lashes coming in the form of lipstick, mascara, eye liners, lip gloss, lip liner, eyeshadow rouge, powder, foundation cream, toning lotion - I hope I've not missed out.

Even her hair is not spared. Clips, ribbons, bows, slides, Alice bands, nets to keep in place the unruly strands.

Carrying the 'commoditification' process down to her feet - stilettoes, high heels, wedge heels, block and glass heels, stockings - all of which keep going a thundering cosmetic, jewellery and footwear industry worldwide.

The global fashion industry hurriedly puts out trendy attire highlighting female body lines. Competing firms put out the best in underwear to elevate a biological slump while absorbants facilitate biological functions.

In as much as her appearance is socially designated her tasks too remain that way - procreating, sweeping, washing, cleaning, cooking - among her multitudinous activities - all carefully planned out by global ideologists to prop up a market economy.

Grooming a girl towards task orientation starts at the tender age of two and three.

Tiny pots, pans, brooms and dolls are her carefully chosen allotments coming as gifts and play items to keep future house and mother siblings.

Boys are recipients of guns, cars and other items connected with masculinity.

The world's power setters catch them young even while at home to keep the exploitative order going.

If not for assigned tasks, roles, gender, achieved status - all a common cultural pattern with seed germination starting off in every house around the world where would industrial capitalism be? Adding to these social constructs are standard attributes of what a woman should be - lady like, soft spoken, gentle, charming... -

Oops! I almost forgot. What of those 'cattle parades?' - a favourite reference to beauty contests by an eminent doctor of letters where women expose buttocks and breasts - a feast for men's eyes.

Oh! Where would industrial capitalism be, if not for this 'thing' called 'woman'.

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