WE STRIVE FOR "EQUALITY" NOT "DOMINANCE"- FEMINISM

 

EQUALITY FOR WOMEN: STILL A LONG SHOT DESPITE ALL ACHIEVEMENTS 

FEMINISM✊

 very often we discuss FEMINISM in our dinning table , in news room debates  and with our colleagues. but we  moslty misuse and misapprehend these words  every time. What exactly does  actually feminism mean? Is this a war against men?  Or does it include placing women above men? the answer is 'NO'!

Feminism is  just an attempt to get rid of this notion of dominance and subordination,  and it aims to bring both genders on the same level this is not any kind of war against men  it aims at bringing all human beings equal regardless of their gender. we need to understand feminists are not men haters.

If m not wrong feminism is often misconstrued as a 'WOMEN'S- MOVEMENT' as it derived from world 'feminine' but we need to understand its not only women's movement but it's for all human whether men or women as it liberates both.

why do we really need feminism? 

•  TO RID OF MALE DOMINENCE OVER WOMEN

 we definitely  need feminism in this male dominant society ,where women are considered a responsibility of men throughout her life whether its her father, brother, husband or son. f we look back in the history where practices such as 'RAKSHABANDHAN' , 'KANYADAN' and 'PARDAH SYSTEM' where women are kept behind the 'ghooghat' that clearly highlight the extent of male dominance over women. these practices wants us to believe that men are strong and the protect the fragile women and they are need to be protected .

• TO PROMOTE EQUALITY OF THE SEXES

we need feminism because women in our society is considerd a burden and its seams marrige is the only reason for her existence . in india , every year over 2.5lakhs girls are killed even before their birth in the womb of her  mother and more than thousand women are reported dead due to 'DOWRY HARRASEMENT'.

also we see in some of our indian families girls and boys are treated differently ,education as well as in nutrition boys are given more priority and girls are being neglected.  in many indian family women are askes at the last after serving to whole family .this discrimination can be seen clearly in the statics released by the government which shows more than 60% of teenage girls are seen underweight and 62% are anaemic.

• TO ENSURE WOMEN ARE RESPECTED REGARDLESS OF THEIR CAREER CHOICES 

we need feminism because in certain section of our society still believe that it is some kind of offence if the women is self  employed or well educated and supports her family and herself financially. we still need feminism because  women deserve same amount of work as men for same talk which really lacks, women are being paid just 66% of what men get from same kind of work even in the media and television department  actresses are paid less than actors .

A report guggest that india would be 28% richer if there were higher employement rates of women . the women's reservation bill ,2008 is still pending in the parliament that heads towards reserving 34% of all seats in the lok sabha  and in all legislative assemblies where current statics is just 14% that may be because women are considerd ill-suited for holding power in democracy.

• TO BREAK MENSTRUATION TABOOS 

feminism is needed because we have defame the purity of something as natural as 'MENSTRUATION' and turned into something unmentionable . and in certain corners of indian society female during their menstruation are treated as untouchables. not allow to enter in kitchen and cook , are asked to sleep in floor, are not touched neither they can share same utensils only because of some stigma attached to it .

india suffers from "period poverty" which means lack of sanitary product to deal with our menstruating population. we worship "kamakhya devi",also known as bleeding goddess,and on other hand women are restricted entering temples during der period.

• TO STOP TELLING WOMEN HOW TO DRESS

we need feminism because girls are resticted for their choice of wearing clothes. we have experienced when 'FATWA' have been introduced againsed female celebrities for wearing western clothes .

another appalling satement passed by a prominent politician that these clothes are 'invitation to rape' 

useless whatsapp forwards and misogynistic serials and movies that has worsen the situation by normalising  practices like stalking and eve-teasing .

• TO END THE IDEA THAT MEN NEED TO BE STRONGER THAN WOMEN

we need feminism because this not only worsen the women's mental health bt also creates pressure on men that they should be emotionally and physically stronger than women. 

it's time to fade away such statements - 'mard ko dard nhi hota' also ' ladke ladkiyo jaise nhi rote'  its time to change this and we need to remove such pressure from men that they will only take care of home financially. 

so, here this is the time to recognise that feminism is not to make women strong. women are alrealy strong its just about changing misconstrued  that women need support ,its just to provide equal rights to both men or women , and to break the stereotype that  feminist are not men haters  they only what equal rights as men in every field .this is not what they should beg but they deserve and this is their right.

 so we should freely say we are feminist without any hesitation or fear. 

feminism should not be reffered as hostility against men because " ME ASKING FOR MY RIGHTS  WILL NOT DEPRIVE YOU OF YOURS"!

THANYOU FOR READING....

WRITTEN BY- PALAK MAURYA

(AMITY UNIVERSITY ,JAIPUR)

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