A Tale as Old as Time
Generation Z was claimed to be the golden generation by our ancestors, one living in the aspired utopia. Yet today, the trammels of gender inequality hold us back, being at odds with the utopian vision. Given the age-old intertwined relationship between femininity and Indian culture, it is crucial to tackle the issue at the grassroot level. In order to provide equal opportunities and a violence-free life for women, a brief description of the problem is pertinent.
The age-old workplace inequality: Issues such as the big fat wage gap and unequal leadership opportunities between sexes are long known to everyone, but little is known about the breadth of the problem. The official maternity leave in India is 12 weeks. However, due to the stronghold of the unorganized sectors in the employment matrix, many women are unaware of their basic rights, let alone the wage gap. Bollywood, known to all for its apt portrayal of Indian culture and life with a dose of music and dance, is yet another example of workplace inequality. The 90s-era male icons are still seen performing love sequences with co-stars who are half their age. It is not simply a question of age. It poses a problem because women are not given the option to romance their younger male counterparts. Only women-centric movies are considered fit for female veteran actors. The concept of male-centric and women-centric films in itself is very corrupt as it dissolves the entire idea of equality.
Casual sexism: This is explained by age-old, cliche catch phrases like “Stop crying like a girl”. Casual sexism is a mother asking her daughter, and not her sons, to help her serve food to the guests, or people associating the colors pink and blue with specific genders. Another example would be a family member gifting a Barbie doll to a niece, and a toy car to a nephew. These may seem like every day, blithe things, but the fact that these have become too common for us to notice is the root of the problem.
The solution does not lie in revolting outside the Parliament House. We have to deal with the problem of gender inequality at its source, by laying down the foundations with the right intention. Simple steps within the family, such as doing away with the conventional beliefs around a suitable marriage for girls, and like that of being the breadwinner of the family around boys, would go a long way in ensuring gender equality at home. Instilling the idea of educating men to empower women can also make a difference. Women are always victimized in cases of sexual, domestic, and violent crimes against them. Educating men to do away with male chauvinism can help resolve the problem. Men do not need to necessarily lend a hand to women for them to rise up to their level, as long as they promise to not act as a hindrance in their path to success.
As students, our job is to question the outdated, tarnished thinking that stops many girls from chasing their dreams. It is a hurdled rebellion in itself wherein people would take time to unlearn many things, especially among those in the orthodox Indian community, as gender inequality is no new phenomenon, but rather a tale as old as time. Nevertheless, it is our duty to help India break free from the shackles of gender inequality.
Author:Vrinda Sethi
About the Author: Student of IPM-02
#SDG #indianculture #genz
#workplaceinequality #genderequality #orthodox
#iimbodhgaya #theenlighteningiim