After years of trying, our country has a higher female count in the sex ratio. Now, this is something very intriguing about our culture. We might prefer preaching about respecting goddesses, but will always demand a son.
In a country where the legacy is handed down from man to man, we have got a pretty good number of women this time.
But, does this hike really reflect empowerment? Imagine a house with five girls and the extreme greed, need and intense love for that one male child, who will supposedly offer protection and care to the other five.
We are not yet sure about how authority might function, when in the hands of someone who is expected to be always pinned down in the bed!
Majority is the only tool in a democratic country. But, it often fails when it comes to our private life, or anything that has at least one male.
The demand in the industry has certainly changed. People are offering various roles to women as well, but have you every tried asking the only woman in the group, who will make a headline here and there, about how she feels to be the only minority, in a country that now has more females than males?
The real meaning of an increased headcount lies in how democratic we are. Does the new ratio mean that girls can now walk freely? Does it mean families with only daughters and no sons, feel more legitimate and complete?
Will this sex ratio make the girl child seem like less of a liability? Can we stop asking families how their legacy will be transferred without having that one male child? Can we have daughters performing the antim sanskar (funeral rites) for their parents?
Firstly, men and women are equally important for the natural progression of the human race. There is no point in thinking about who’s more important, but don’t we feel that we still have that male-dominated lifestyle being the default?
Why do companies and ventures promote women such that they are gorgeous and full of love? And, why are men taking all the important calls when making decisions?
Don’t we have marriages where both the partners are supposed to be taking care of things equally? Then, why are power, respect and responsibility associated with beards and moustaches?
Men have certainly taken this long-term belief of ruling very personally. And, it’s high time we stop merely counting the numbers. The new and improved sex ration should be used to note how many women were enabled to pursue what they wished for?
How many young girls were sent to schools to study. Without thinking about their marriage prospects, how many families count their daughters as their prime asset? Which industries take on women as advisors, and not just as an advertising object?
And yes, there is no doubt that women are taking on responsibilities, voicing themselves and even being accountable for things they do. But, aren’t we still lagging behind? Are we allowing ourselves to be the version of ourselves we want to be?