This is going to be
a short piece about sexism for a dear friend and blogger-Vishal.
The link to that post is here:
http://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/guest-post-sexism-by-tarusha-mittal/
How ingrained it is
in us..How we are brought up along side it but we rarely reflect
unless we are forced look in that direction.
This is not going to
be a bra burning piece,just for the record,I am all for it,for the
fun of pyrotechnics but I respect those who choose to do that as a
form of protest.
The problem is that
patriarchy and sexism are so inherent in our "great"
country that people have forgotten that being ogled at -or the
attitude of boys will be boys,that is how the society is,behave this
way because you are a girl- is beyond abysmal.
Women do not
understand that we are not objects to be ogled at,we are not meant to
be toys or a piece of property,we are as much an individual as the
next dude with different and "super" set of genitals.
There is something
known as equality and we have completely lost sense of it.
Boys flashing their
dirty underwear label is a "dude" but a girl's accidental
or even if it is deliberate like the former is tagged as slutty.
Boys can step
outside at odd hours and if they misbehave,they are being boys but
heaven forbid if a girl steps out late at night-she is asking for it.
We need a
change,this is not about being a rebel sans a cause.
It is just about
bringing children up better with better ideals-they need to learn to
recognise sexism when it happens.
People just do not
understand. We are crass and uneducated by any and all standards-for
we do not understand simple concepts like patriarchy,sexism and
inequality between genders.
It is is not always
in your face,sons are better than daughters but it is sinister and
insidious it is an attitude that is drilled into girls while they are
being raised. It might not necessarily say that you are lesser than
the boys but learning the feeling of being ashamed. Shamed for being
a girl,shamed for having certain boy parts,shamed for doing certain
things,just plain shame.
People need to be
taught-men and women-that there is something known as equality of
genders and most importantly,there is a need to make people learn
that their "culture" or "norms" are not to be
imposed on everyone. Their yardstick of judgement should stick to
themselves and no one else. Also girls are individuals,they have
nothing to do with family's honour,the honour belongs to the girl and
no one else.Women are individuals and not properties.