Let us talk about patriarchy.
Men all around the world are tired of hearing this word, patriarchy, again and again. Every time this word comes up they make their “ugh, not again” face.
In other words, the feeling can somewhat be summed up as “Can’t they just get over it already”. (They here refers to women and feminists)
No, they can’t. We can’t.
The word patriarchy should be used as often as one can. Why?
Because it is the answer to every question which relates to the position of women in society, especially in India, a country which believes that only a women can make a family content, satisfied and hunger free.
We are past this phase.
It is too late now to say that women don’t deserve their entire life to be spent in the kitchen, that they can and should work or do whatever they feel like. We are past this phase.
The millennial knows about it. Each and every person from the middle class and rich class families, barring few, have heard this argument and passed their comments on it, good or bad.
Now it’s time for productive and visible change.
Look around you. Don’t you see men everywhere? Well, I’m not complaining about their existence. What I mean and intend to say is: how many women do you see in comparison to men, at any given place and time? The male-female ratio is completely messed up in this country.
When I say male-female ratio, I am not talking about the sex ratio. That is also one of the messed up things about this country but let’s keep that discussion for some other blog.
Male-female ratio, here, specifically and particularly refers to the number of females to males you see around yourself when you step out of the house or the place you live in.
Any place you go: shopping malls, temples, mosques, government offices, private offices, courts, tea stalls, restaurant, the parliament, etc., you would find yourself surrounded heavily by men and only a handful of women, and the number of women will be comparatively very very less. So less at times that it would be insignificant.
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Now imagine: Wouldn’t a woman feel scared if any and every place she goes, she finds herself in presence of a large number of men, that too in a country where crime rate against women is horribly high?
Patriarchy, again, is to be blamed.
From years of practicing and observing sexist practices, there has clearly been formed a pattern, a pattern of oppression. Even though we have witnessed large improvement in the participation of women in every field, still this seems to be not enough.
Not enough because the condition of Tier 2 cities or any city except the capital cities, is pathetic and not even close to average. People who have spent their life living in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru or Delhi would not get this.
There are families which do not allow girls to hang out so often or to have friends of opposite gender. The use of word allow itself reeks of oppression, sexism and patriarchal attitude.
Patriarchy has destroyed the society in such subtle manner that the concept almost seems to be non-existent to some people.
Do one thing: Change your mobile’s wallpaper to a photo which has patriarchy written on it. Now every time you use your mobile (i.e., all the time), on seeing the wallpaper take a moment and look around yourself. Count the number of women to men present.
*What happened next will blow your mind*
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: HuffPost India, Wikipedia
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