Well, I believe it’s the utmost highest time to talk about the road towards gender equality. Living in a country where the immense power dynamics of race, class, sexuality, and more lead to all the decisions of our Indian society in general, choosing a career of your own is not at all an easy task.
It becomes tougher when you are a girl or woman, I still remember when I was being advised, “Do a government job because it is women-friendly, easy and sober. It won’t interfere in your life as a wife and mother.” At that time, I was really confused and couldn’t understand what to say or what to think. However, now I am used to these comments and still think why a woman who wants to do something different have to face such remarks?
I wanted to study mass-communication and journalism. Trust me, I faced so many obstacles just to make my family understand. “Think of a ‘simple’ job,” people said.
The reason behind this was that a simple or an easy job doesn’t need much determination, gives you time to take care of your house, your ‘sasuraal’ (in-laws), and so on.
In 2021, we are still living in a patriarchal society and I don’t know when the idea of narrowing a woman’s dreams and aspirations will be re-constructed.
Well, I am not avant-garde or neither do I look for any hullabaloo. I am a person with positive thoughts and I care for equal rights! I had an interest in literature and writing, my family thought that I would become a good teacher and led a secured life blissfully. I wanted to make my hobby/passion/interest in my career. By going against my family, I picked my passion and wanted to pursue a career in digital media writing.
When I got selected in one of the brilliant universities in India for the mass-communication and journalism department, my family wasn’t happy. They said it will be a risky career choice, you will not get any job in your hometown and so on. It almost took four years to convince them through my hard work, gradually, my works started to get published in different magazines, newspapers and other media platforms. Now, after four years of my career, I can say that an unconventional career can also be a great option for a lot of youngsters, especially a woman.
The question here lies in is why should patriarchy choose which career is apt for a woman? Till now, I see clearly that in various Indian families, women are being told that education is no doubt important (only a few though) but financial independence is not that essential. What is a “feminine job?” Or, until when will women give up on their dreams just because it is not womanly-enough or their in-laws won’t like it?