Gender, in our society, doesn’t just mark the difference in physical features, but also has various other dimensions attached to it. Society has defined separate roles for both men and women. We even have separate traits that define each gender. For centuries, women in our social order are supposed to have played second fiddle to their male counterparts. Their subservience to the patriarchal order has become a norm. And any deviation from this norm today is considered as an open rebellion against the society and its culture as a whole.
A democratic system and the spread of education has finally enabled a large number of women to stand up on their feet. But this too came at a price. They had to stand up against, not just the society, but also their own loved ones. They had to fit themselves into jobs that had been considered unsuitable for them for ages. They had to compete with their male counterparts who always had an edge over them by the virtue of their birth. But against all odds, they stood up and proved their mettle.
But not all of them have the privilege of receiving the benefits of modern education. Not all of them can muster the courage to fight. Some of them cannot even recognise the unjust treatment being meted out to them. They are forced to surrender their souls to their husbands, treat him as god, venerate him as one and live a life of perpetual subservience and humiliation. Any attempts at resistance lead to social ostracisation. Their dependency on their partners has made them more and more vulnerable and helpless.
The patriarchal mindset has percolated so deep into our roots that the rise of women over the years has been viewed by the society as a western influence, an assault on our culture and an attempt to dilute our traditions. And attempts are being made to trample this uprising of women by curbing their freedom, limiting their opportunities and muzzling their voices.
But all these attempts to create hindrance in their path have not been able to blunt their spirits and stop them in their endeavours. And women today have acquired some of the most prominent and coveted positions in the country. But the misery is that we call these women ‘heroes’ and their successes have been viewed as an aberration. There are attempts being made at downplaying their achievements.
What we have to realise is that all these women who are suffering at our hands are not aliens but our very own mothers, sisters and beloveds and it is our responsibility to ensure them a dignified life. The fact is, that with 50% of the population living in a perpetual state of dormancy, the dream of India becoming a ‘superpower’ one day will always remain a dream. And the best thing is that we, as a society, don’t need to do anything to help them. They don’t need our help or assistance. We just have to stop creating obstacles in their path and they will be able to forge their own place in the society. All they need and demand from us is our recognition, for them, as equal citizens.