EQUALITY BEGINS AT HOME

source: forbesindia.com

It's not just charity that begins at home, even equality begins at home (infact everything begins at home). The equality I'm referring to here is gender equality. What exactly do we mean when we say that we want a society with gender equality? A society where both men and women are treated equally irrespective of their gender, right? Yes, that's exactly what we wish to achieve when we strive to create a society with gender equality. But hasn't this strive started long back in our country? And have we finally become successful in creating gender equally in our society? Now that's something we need to think about.

It is true that the condition of women in our country have changed quite a bit. Today there are women in almost every field, every position and every domain that was once thought to be only meant for men. But the question is, has our society truly imbibed the the real essence of gender equality? I don't think so. Even today there are many women who are deprived of freedom in various ways just because they were born a woman. The truth is, we cannot create gender equality in a society in just one day or in just few days for that matter. It is a slow process. It's not easy to change the thoughts, beliefs and attitudes of an entire society with just few feminist movements, fights, revolutions, feminist communities or upliftments. Creating awareness is all that these can do (and that's something that they should do because creating awareness is the first step to any change), but dear women, it is only you who can uplift yourself and fight for your own happiness. How many women can a feminist movement save, maybe one or two, but what about the rest ? They have to save themselves.

source: heforshebykrnvrma.blogspot.in

On one hand we are fighting for gender equality and on the other hand we still have our daughter forced to do all the household chores with our son not even learning to wash his own plate after a meal. What equality are we talking about here? Do we really expect gender equality in the thoughts and actions of every individual in our society when such ironical situations prevail? How do we expect a man who grows up like this to even lend a helping hand to his wife? He would definitely consider household chores as only the responsibility of a woman. He can't be blamed if he grows up to believe that his wife needn't go for a job and all that she is expected to do is look after his needs, the house and children. He was brought up to believe so. He was brought up in such an environment, where only his mother and sisters did the washing, cleaning, cooking and did everything they were ordered to do while all that the menfolk in the family did was just relax and give them orders. After such an upbringing we expect a man to suddenly believe in a married life where both the husband and wife are equals, we expect a society where men believe that men and women are equal? Seriously?

I'm sure you've understood what I'm trying to point out. The point is, if there is any change that we wish to see in the society, we have to inculcate and bring about that change in our own families first. Little kids have to be trained, taught and brought up in such a manner that they tend to develop an attitude of equality. It's the thoughts and beliefs that an individual acquires during his/her childhood days that determines tomorrow's society. It's very difficult to change the beliefs and ideologies of an adult. So if we want a see a change in our country tomorrow, we have to inculcate that change in today's children. It's not just mere preaching that I'm talking about here, kids learn from our actions than from our words. Children in a family should grow up with the notion that both male and female are equal. A man who is brought up with such an understanding will never look down upon the freedom of a woman, he will have the unconscious conviction that any woman has the same freedom that he as a man has. And a woman who is brought up with such an understanding will never consider herself inferior to any man, she will be free, happy and have all the liberty that a man has. She wouldn't curse herself for being born a woman. It would turn out to be a society where there are less divorces. It's a fact, because most of the divorces now-a-days occur when the bold, ambitious young women who know their rights, who are greatly inspired and educated are not ready to sacrifice their dreams and happiness and then fight for their freedom from an husband who considers her just as a machine to attend to his needs and happiness. So to hold on to a truly happy society what we need here is not just empowered women but also men who believe, understand and practice the true essence of equality in all aspects - this is why a boy should be brought up in such an environment, which makes him unconsciously believe that men and women are equal.

source: indiatoday.intoday.in

So you see, gender equality is not just about teaching young girls that they should fight for their rights, but it's also about educating young boys that a woman is not just born to serve a man, rather they should serve eachother. Gender equality is not just about young girls being inspired to take over professions and domains that were only dominated by men, but it's also about young boys being taught to help their mothers and sisters in household chores and do their bit of work. When gender equality starts at home, it will naturally show up in all aspects of society. If today's parents strive to bring up their kids in such a family environment where the boy child and girl child are treated equally in every sense, then tomorrow our society will definitely turn out to be one where everyone are "human-beings" (this term itself evokes equality) with equal rights, equal freedom and equal happiness irrespective of gender. Now that's what I call gender equality!