It was a shock to read about the man who drowned two of his daughters because they were a “shame” and a “burden”, since they were not “blessed” with a son. I know I am discussing an age-old issue and that probably I won’t say anything Indians don’t already know. It has been like that for thousands of years and it is going to remain like that? It is part of Indian culture to prefer sons. I have heard all that and tried to sink into comfortable apathy. I have grown to love India and made it my home… But each time I come across such story in the newspapers, I feel such a sinking despair, and so much doubt with my own judgment. How can this exist in the 21st century? Does this man realise that if it was not for a woman, he would never been born? And that he is married to one, for God’s sake! Or does he hold her in contempt every day of their life together? You might call me a naïve phirang and maybe this is what I am. A lot of people around us live in such unimaginable poverty, that I understand their despair – feeding 3 children (he had 3 daughters, one was spared as she was with her mother) and saving for three marriages, must have not been easy for him (why did he have three daughters to start with?????). But killing them?… You need complete lack of thought and logic not to understand that natural, or any evolution, is impossible without both sexes coexisting. That women are as important as men. But here I am stating the obvious!
I can’t help thinking that we, women, are somehow responsible for this. It is a woman who brings up the child, and if she instills in him that women are not a lesser species, something somewhere will rub off. And maybe this man will treat his wife, his daughters, his maid, the women he meets on the street and at work, with a little bit more respect. And maybe if we decide that we will never accept it, never sink in comfortable apathy, something sometime will start changing. I browsed the net and realized that many women have gotten their act together and started NGOs, resource centers, shelters, to support less fortunate women from men’s exploitation and violence. So I feel that if we, the fortunate ones, start spreading little doses of awareness, non-militantly, respectfully, so that we are understood, to our maids, drivers, by giving a little bit of our time, we might earn the right to protest and be appalled.
I can’t help thinking that we, women, are somehow responsible for this. It is a woman who brings up the child, and if she instills in him that women are not a lesser species, something somewhere will rub off. And maybe this man will treat his wife, his daughters, his maid, the women he meets on the street and at work, with a little bit more respect. And maybe if we decide that we will never accept it, never sink in comfortable apathy, something sometime will start changing. I browsed the net and realized that many women have gotten their act together and started NGOs, resource centers, shelters, to support less fortunate women from men’s exploitation and violence. So I feel that if we, the fortunate ones, start spreading little doses of awareness, non-militantly, respectfully, so that we are understood, to our maids, drivers, by giving a little bit of our time, we might earn the right to protest and be appalled.
No comments:
Post a Comment