Dear Editor, Let’s talk about this fun-police-mandated word “allowed.” Allowed by whom? By the same paragons of virtue crowd that burned women alive for being “too smart”? By the ones who outlawed women from reading, voting, and owning property because it threatened, bruised, and fractured their fragile egos? The same people who still panic and experience a total neurological meltdown when a woman dares to sit at the head of a boardroom table? Oh, yes—thank you, mighty overlords, for your generous crumbs of liberty. But here’s the delightful irony: women were ruling empires from golden thrones and commanding vast armies while men were still drawing stick figures in caves. Women birthed nations—literally—while men wrote laws deciding if those same women could even own their own bodies. Women ran revolutions, resisted oppression, and rebuilt entire societies while men stood around acting like referees of existence, blowing their whistle: “Okay, fine, you’re allowed now. Don’t get too cocky.” Too cocky? Sweetheart, women don’t need cocky—they’ve got capable. And capable terrifies you. Let’s correct the narrative, shall we? Women have been running kingdoms, civilizations, households, revolutions, and movements long before anyone scribbled the word “allowed” onto their lips. Cleopatra didn’t wait for a consent slip or a committee’s approval. Joan of Arc didn’t ask if it was “okay” to lead an army. Rosa Parks didn’t sit on that bus thinking, “Gee, I hope the men let me do this.” Hatshepsut declared herself Pharaoh and ruled Egypt with unparalleled prosperity. Boudicca led a massive rebellion against the Roman Empire. Tomoe Gozen was a legendary samurai warrior, respected for her skill and ferocity long before any man dared to diminish her glory. Artemisia I of Caria, the brilliant naval commander who fought for Xerxes at Salamis, whose strategic advice was so valued by the Persian king that he reportedly said, “My men have become women, and my women, men.” Yet somehow, today, in the year where we pretend to be “progressive,” the phrase “women are allowed” still gets thrown around like a consolation prize. Allowed to work. Allowed to inherit. Allowed to drive. Allowed to speak. Do you hear the ridiculousness? It’s like saying, “You’re allowed to eat, but only if we feel generous.” The next time “allowed” is uttered, remember: women decide. They don’t negotiate for power. They take it.
Yumna Zahid Ali
Karachi, Pakistan
Karachi, Pakistan
Yumna Zahid Ali is a writer and educator who spends her free time reading, analyzing literature, and exploring cultural and intellectual debates. When she’s not writing for global audiences, she enjoys reflecting on societal issues and using her voice to challenge inequities, especially those affecting women. She also loves diving into history, believing that remembering the past is an act of defiance and a way to hold power accountable.
