ARE WOMEN TRULY INDEPENDENT?

• (Relevant for Sociology Syllabus: Paper 1- Stratification and Mobility & Paper-2- Systems of Kinship in India)
• (Relevant for GS Syllabus: Paper1– Social empowerment)

• This is 2020. We have developed a lot now. Compared to what we were a century ago, we have made huge progress in science, technology, lifestyles, etc. Women have started working. They are earning. Girls are provided with education. According to us, WOMEN ARE INDEPENDENT. BUT ARE THEY REALLY?
• Since independence, the Indian Constitution has provided many laws with respect to equality for women. Some examples are:
• Article 15(1): The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race,

caste, sex, place of birth or any of them. Article 16: Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. Article 39(d): That there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women. and so on…

• Even many movements, campaigns, organizations for women empowerment have risen. There have been changes since then and now according to society if a girl is getting to study, work and earn, she is independent. This is “equality”. But what about the stereotypical expectations?
• A wife is getting to work because her husband gave her the “permission to work”. She is wearing pants, dress, skirts, shorts because her husband “allowed her to wear those”.
• My cousin went to see this guy for an arranged marriage, a tradition of India, where she asked her possible partner and her possible in-laws that whether she will be allowed to work or not and is she allowed to wear the clothes that she wants? They allowed her and it was considered as some great work done by them.
• It was considered a privilege is given to her by the guy’s family. But what we all failed to see is that she had to ask permission for her BASIC RIGHTS from the so-called authority assigned by society. This happens with the majority of the woman across the whole country.
• Let’s take an example of a common stereotype from our daily lives. Our mom cooks daily for us. Well, that’s her duty, her responsibility. When once in a while our dad cooks, everyone is like, ‘Woah he is cooking!’.
• We also usually see WhatsApp forwards, jokes about a husband thinking his wife is harassing him by making him wash their own house’s utensils. Aren’t household chores the responsibility of all genders?
• Yeah, yeah they are just jokes. Laugh it out and move on. But these kinds of jokes also reflect the stereotypical mindset of our society and adds to all the unfairness that a woman is facing.
• My point is do all parents raise their daughters and educate them so that in the end, a random guy and a random family will allow her to live her life?
• The stereotypical expectations are not only limited to males and his family but are also followed by females and her family. Parents consider their daughters to be partner’s paycheck more important than his qualities like their daughter doesn’t have the capability to provide for her or her future family.
• A wife taking care of the house and a husband earning is ideal for the society but the other way round isn’t. I mean you definitely would have heard the term ‘housewife’ but not ‘househusband’. For me, the ideal is a couple fulfilling their responsibilities according to their choice and comfort rather than their gender.
• Many people even use some sexist phrases like “Are you wearing bangles?” or “Why are you playing like a girl?” They use it as an insult and this clearly states where women stand for those people. Also, it’s very rare where you will see a woman as the head of the family in presence of male members.
• These stereotypes are just a few drops of a large ocean. They are hindering our independence, the whole human race. Because women are expected to behave according to certain so-called rules and so does men. “Man-up”, “Don’t cry”, “Your work is to feed the family by earning money, not by cooking”, “What kind of a man are you if you can’t control your woman”, “Seriously? You don’t like sports? Are you a girl?” and the best one “Jhoru ka gulaam”.
• “Your husband allowed you to go out so late?”, “You are a woman, how can you drink?”, “You won’t talk to that guy ever, you have to obey me as I am your brother!”, “How will you drive? You won’t be able to handle the bike’s weight”, “We can’t run our house on money earned by a woman” and many more.
• Is this freedom where you are supposed to walk, talk, work, wear, behave according to someone else or taking their permission? I don’t think so.
• Not only women but are we all really independent? Till the time we are in this prison of stereotypical mindset, no we are not independent. INDEPENDENCE IS A BASIC RIGHT AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ALLOW US OR CONTROL OUR OWN INDEPENDENCE.