Gender equality by definition refers to ‘the state in which access to rights or opportunities is unaffected by gender’. Okay, right! But is it actually possible in real life? Like our entire grooming, our entire race feed on ‘gender inequality’. Why? Okay let’s start with the kindergarten straight.
You remember how ‘Cinderella’ was the poor girl who had to do all the poor household jobs for the evil step mom? Now you remember how ‘Snow White’ was rescued by the prince in the shining armor? Have you ever wondered why the protagonist in both the stories (and in case all the stories) is always a girl in misery! Why not a boy was shown doing the household chores along with his teary eyes and why could not Snow White in shining armor saved the prince? Again the end result for both the female protagonists is to live happily after with the prince (a male). There! Right there our problem lies. Don’t you think such stories are created to fill an entire generation with false sense of achievements and goals? Don’t you think even a five year old boy is indirectly fed with the sense of bravery and on the other hand a five year old girl is made to feel that her ultimate accomplishment in life is to keep everything tidy, wear nice clothes and helping mommy in house hold jobs! Why don’t we dare to gift a kitchen set to a boy for his birthday and a gun to the little girl? Who told them that these toys don’t belong to them and are basically gender specific? Itch, Itch…Pity!
And we say that there is no scope of gender stereotypes in future? The next generation should be instilled with the feelings of gender equality. Oh God! Lolzzz!
Next comes the household jobs even a two year toddler sees pretty visibly that washing utensils ( though we have ‘Bais’ now but still I wonder how come they all are women? It’s a job right?) or doing laundry (even though we have these magical machines called washing machines easily available at our houses). How many fathers,husbands or brothers can actually tell the exact pricing of a packet of surf? How many males do actually bother to put those two spoons of ‘Ariel Matic’ for approximately six kg of clothes in the washing machine to do the job. And well hanging the clothes onto the rope and again folding it nicely back to the cup board is actually a ‘mirage’ I mean the one thing you just dream but it never happens! Haha.
Now if you truly believe in gender equality and willing to create a better society with equal opportunities to all then we will have to take those tiny steps right at our homes. We will have to lead by giving examples ourselves. Even if the bifurcation or division of work has to be done let it be on equal basis. I mean ‘odds’ will get equal weightage as the ‘evens’!
Teach the ‘generation Z’ that their goals should be based on what they want to achieve. ‘Saving the world’ is as equally a girl’s job as ‘doing the laundry’ is a guy’s job. Wash utensils, take the leave be at home, do the laundry and sometimes just try to step into the other gender’s shoes(totally from those combat boots to stilettos and vice versa) and there you will create a better understanding and no place for gender stereotypes. The opportunities are limitless and sky is the only limit for the dreams those tiny eyes hold for now. So go achieve and cherish being a human first then being a gender first!
PS- “I am taking part in the #ShareTheLoad Challenge with Ariel and Aksharaat BlogAdda.”
Just thank you for providing such a great topic to write on and pour thoughts upon. Totally worth it.
I never know how to react when I read things like this. Instinctively, I know it’s an issue with some people, but it’s never one I’ve experienced. I can never tell if someone was raised in an oppressive home environment, or if they’re just taking it too far. Balance is possible, but there’s also a real danger of the oppressed becoming the oppressor. And that is a real issue today, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
True I hv Bn raised into similar environment and ur right oppressed can b oppresor n it can also b a thought provoking article
LikeLike
Well written. Truth might just be bitter for some. I agree to the idea you are trying to propagate. It is true that inequality is budded at home. Nip the bud before it blooms.
But it also has to be understood that equality is a delusion we are looking at because of the choices the genders make. They choose to be powerless.
How many of them will dare to have a baby (IVF) and be a single mother.
How many women in relationships will dare to take the leap and not be the cheesy submissive ones?
I’d like to share an incident I recently was witness to. I was at a mall here and saw two teenage girls hanging out after their cricket practice. I felt happy because (a) They were pursuing a sport dominated by men (b) They looked strong and built.
But there comes the element of disappointment. Their characters just switched to something very common as soon as their boyfriends came along. They became the submissive girls holding their man’s hand and walking behind them (almost). It is quite hardwired and it can be difficult to deal with. Body language and mental archetype will have to be worked on to get such things happen.
You have done a great job, yet again. Keep going 🙂
LikeLike
Again the comment is par excellence
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉
LikeLike
Lovely .. All the best
LikeLike