STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY, HOW LONG IS THE WAIT?
STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY, HOW LONG IS THE WAIT?
From professionally contributing more efforts than a man at the same job to getting the same respect as a husband at home, we as a society are still struggling.
We have seen women in power, as politicians, but there was a time when women were not allowed to vote. Feminism might be a trendy word today but its roots are in society since the 19th century. Feminism in India started in the 19th century with an active participation in the reform activities by women and the change in psychology of English educated elite men who realised that the seclusion of their wives could mean that they will not be capable to educate children and be good hostesses and helpmeets to support their husband's professional career.
Before I move ahead, do you not find the situation similar today? Even today, her education and career is not because of here ambitiousness but to support the husband. Well, comment down below your thoughts. At the same time, women were shaking up the British rule as well as they continued to demand equality when it came to the right to vote. They were creating history and how. The battle for Equality; it was constantly fought by many women leaders who fought with confidence to face the obstacles in the Indian society which were not present in the Western Society.
From 1920 to 2020, a century has passed and today, most families have working women and people have a psychology that women in India should be educated and working. As much as it a privilege to be a woman who is educated and earning, independent and fierce, the fight is not over.
While we are leaving in this society where we take pride in saying that we are so developed and mostly have parents who are liberal in their words and actions, supporting their daughters to be educated, be working at par with men, something we would not expect in this perfect scenario happens.
Modern marriages in India are a quick example we can use to witness the casual sexism. A home with two working partners, but he comes home tired and it is imbibed in a woman's mind to pour him a glass of water and what happens when she comes back home? Well in most liberal homes, just like this small scenario, there are various small incidents which tell women to take a step back and "adjust".
We are still a society with deep-rooted patriarchy in our minds, where women are still meant for homes and homework. They are still the first when it comes to being responsible for their child. I am sure when most the young girls today are not treated the same as their moms in the modern cities they are still taught the essentials of cooking, sewing and others so that it's easy to find a perfect match for them. And I am talking about the megacities of India here, not the same ones where the education is still a dream.
Moving to work, the independence, freedom and all the positives about women working and being leaders sound amazing but in a fierce business scenario, people are still intimidation for a woman to be a leader. Why a woman taking control and decisions is still alien to us? Why their leadership is synonyms to them being cruel while a man in control is a great thing? These are the question the young generation may ask to us and we should be ready to answer. And if not, change it while we can with our actions.
From mansplaining to harmless sexist jokes, every working woman has to witness these situations at work. How they deal with it might change as they gain experience. But it is not their duty to change, but the men to change the perspectives.
There will always be statements by men, that "we do not know how to do this and need you for handling situations of taking responsibility of kitchen, or decorating home in case of a festival or arranging things for a Puja (Hindu ritual)". Well, they must know that if they continue to be the same, their sons will have the same attitude as well.
We are a generation of change. Our actions will decide whether this patriarchy will continue or still be imbibed in our actions. People before us have fought their battle, Women have and men as well, but now it is a responsibility both the genders have on their shoulders to ensure that there is not only "the talk" but also consciousness in the actions.
We are not living in a society where no one is going to hear us, being vocal about any such incident is the fist and prominent step. Identifying acknowledging and overcoming any sexism, chauvinism and inequality are the qualities. This Women Day 2020, let's acknowledge and act carefully as the change has to begin from us.
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