March 12, 2016
Last year has undoubtedly been the peak year in the rise of feminism. From Beyonce speaking out against gender inequality to the release of He Named Me Malala, women's rights have been at the forefront of current affairs.
It has been ingrained so much in us, that in our daily lives, every word in a novel, every film that we watch, even peer comments are criticized from a 'feministic’ perspective. And there at the edge of the 'cliff' we have tiny questions that arise: Why should only girls wear dresses? Why is it that while it’s perfectly OK to address girls as "beta," boys can never be called “beti?" Why is it that boys in dresses seem unusual and transgender-ish? (Wait. Is that even a term?) Why should girls have all the fun?!
More often than not, we end up thinking that girls aren’t allowed to dress up the way they wish to. What about the 'boys' out there my dear Feminazis?! They barely have enough collections in H&M, leave alone in Louis Vuitton. Unlike your anarkalis, sarees, skirts, dresses, kurtis, multiple sandals, and what not – boys just have blazers, suits, shirts, pants, and shoes. How pathetic is that? No wonder boys have a weird fetish for bindis, hair bands, bangles, ear studs, and rubber bands.
'A woman can do anything a man can!' - say a few Feminazis of late. Read that statement again. Is it really so? Hell no! A man cannot get pregnant, menstruate, or lactate! You don't see men whining about that, do you? The government doesn't 'fund' men to impregnate themselves so that they can 'enjoy' the miracle of life.
It's not only little boys who are constrained to sterotypes – but also men who have chosen to be male nurses, fashion designers, secretaries, receptionists, child care workers, cosmetologists, stay-at-home dads, and primary school teachers; these are often ridiculed for their choice of career. For instance : a stay-at-home mom is treated with respect, a stay-at-home dad is often the butt of jokes. He is looked down on, like a burden upon the family.
Have you ever wondered dear reader, as to where do men go when they are harassed? We all have heard of Women's Cell. But Men's Cell seems to be a rare phenomenon. They exist for the sake of it.
According to Indian Penal Code (IPC) 498A - "Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty - Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. "
The Law is so much in favour of the "ruling-gender" today, that false accusations against innocent men are ignored. A case study In Queensland University Of Technology (QUT) and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) revealed 282 harassment complaints in a period of 6 months. It's time for women to be fair. By fair I mean - Judgement and Sensibility to acknowledge and accept the need for existence of both men and women in par. Fair and Lovely has given us enough share of the 'other' fair I believe.
It's a fact proven right. Women always get away with the benefit of doubt whenever a domestic violence case is reported. Once again it's a question of rarity - when men get the chance to counter back. But sadly our 'beloved' Indian Judiciary system doesn't offer that option so easily. (Do you see why it's rare?)
And then you have the never-ending court cases (thanks to judiciary system again) and a blot on your social status. Well - even men have to live with the burden of guilt. For something that they haven't done. It's not ALWAYS 'rape' that brings the victim to shame!
The question is – Why is there such discrimination? On the brink of rapid development, if we as a nation think that the war of feminism is over, well I guess we all need to sit back, take a moment, and think it all over. Again. Gender inequality still exists – and it restricts both men and women. Letting go of it will lead to achievement of true equality.