“Women are victims of this patriarchal culture, but they are also its carriers. Let us keep in mind that every oppressive man was raised in the confines of his mother’s homes.”
-Shirin Ebadi
It’s 2021, right? The time the world is up and front grappling with a virus as they try to defeat it which came into existence just a year ago. Looking at this I wonder how tough would it be to actually address and solve another toxic aspect of our culture plaguing the society since so many decades. I hope you would have got an idea of what are we here to talk about. So, let’s get set to the notions already discussed at length and ridiculed effortlessly by so many without having an essence of it. Welcome! And yeah, count me in as just another girl who rants about it for it matters.
The situation at workplaces, universities, schools and almost every domain of our societal life is an explicit example of how equal of a society we are. Let’s go for the sex ratio in the country or the female to male ratio in any institution, we all know who it is inferior to. Even when women do join these institutions, the authorities makes sure to be oppressive and orthodox both with the way they treat females in their space. And there is always an excuse. Sometimes it’s safety, other times its reputation and many more.
Next is our homes. I have an issue with the way we raise men today and have been raising them since ages. It is expected of the girl child to be more aware of the traditional responsibilities of the home whereas men are still taught to handle the outside matters of the house. And yes, when you talk of it, they do work in the house. But on what? Think of it, compare it and answer for yourself.
Moving on with the more uncomfortable topic, women and sexuality. Its okay for a man to embrace his sexual needs and be cool about it but for women it still is a hoax. For a modern society, we still judge our women. It is reducing them to their bodies as if there is nothing more to them anyways. Who taught men that? How is it okay for a girl to be defamed only as it is shameful for her? I read it somewhere but I would be putting it here:
Shame
Noun
1. The feeling that person should feel who first introduced you to this word
Last feminism. You can be a rightist or a leftist but a feminist. Doesn’t feel right does it? well, for men I do understand. It would be tough to associate yourself and identify yourself with a women’s name because of course all that is normal is for a female to take it. That’s it and that’s all on the matter.
Now let me point out one thing everyone would be pointing out which is women take advantages of situations so many times. Yes, they do and should be punished for it. but so should those large group of men who horridly mistreat a female and such stories are endless. However, nothing more could be said and talked to somebody who is selectively responsive and insensitive.
Discrimination in today’s age isn’t all explicit. It is the way you treat women; the way you say, “yes but women stand to lose their dignity as individuals if things go wrong” and the way it is generalized for men to be protective of the women in their house.
“There is a reason brothers and fathers are so protective. Men don’t even trust other men.”
Flip the roles, flip the situations and I would gladly love to see where it goes. But unfortunately, that doesn’t happen and all I see are regressive policies passed daily.
