We are around 1.2 billion of human being in India, of which half are women. Traditionally women has been respected in the society and home as mother, sister and wife. Our religious scriptures call lady of the house as lakshmi (Godess of good things). But it is also true that behind this well decorated facade, she is oppressed, harassed, dominated and made dependent. These have been happening from centuries and male domination over women is a truth of history of the world. But today things are changing, there is a new awakening among women and they are fighting for their rights. When people demanded equality the did not think about women, she fought shoulder to shoulder with men for the class equality, equality between lords and serfs, between peasant and zamindars, blacks and whites and so on so forth. But women soon realized that these struggles would not give them equality, for that they have to fight their own struggle against their oppressor which is male dominance spread across the classes. Thus she rose, fought and slowly gaining her true place in the society. She has shown that she is no inferior to men in any sense but the irony is despite women like Rani Lakshmi Bai,Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale who are praised across the world, condition of common women remained deplorable. She is still treated as property, to be fought for, to be protected as if she has nothing of her own. She cannot get the equality guaranteed to her by the constitution of all nations (except few) unless the mindset of society about her changes. There is need to treat her as individual just like society treat men. Allow her the to live the way she want to , groom her , make her capable of making decision, no special treatment but just as its done for the male child. If she can give birth to men she can never be inferior to him. Scientifically a child owes half of its trait to his mother and other half to father who in turn has half of his mother's trait. So a man's capability is derived from a women's capability, doubting which is foolishness.
If women are provided equal opportunity not only in material sense but in terms of grooming her thoughts and mindset, she could be as strong as a man. She would no more be dependent, as has demonstrated by women today. Equality has to come from the root level, all beliefs and tradition which stop us from giving this fundamental right to women should be changed. For example the desire of male child is a much accepted practice in India and the world. The reason for that are many. A girl child has to be protected, she has to be married to a man for which a heafty dowry has to be given. She is not educated properly, she is not fed properly because ultimately after marriage she would not be with the family so why to invest in her so much ? On the other hand a male child would bring dowry, would lead the family, would take care of parents in their old age and thus investing and loving him seems but natural. Behind all these reasons lay the sheer selfishness, which is human nature. Taking one example, from our cow we expect a female calf which would one day become a cow and give us milk. We don't want a male calf in this case, because he is of no use to us, tractors and other agricultural machinery has taken over his job and he is useless. There are many such examples which shows that human beings choose between male and female for their benefits.
In the modern world when there are no frequent fights, no hard jungle dwelling, no hunting gathering which needed strong physique males to do jobs for the family, can we not expect ourselves to shed this mindset of requirement of male for leading a family ? Taking example from previous paragraph, dowry is one such ritual practice which puts women in a disadvantageous position. Think if nobody has to pay money for their daughters marriage just like they don't have to for their sons, wouldn't it decrease their desire for not having a daughter ? after all human being are rational economic animals.
Similarly practice of a girl moving from her parents home to her in laws' home makes her less attractive to be desired and loved by her parents who cannot divorce themselves from this general mentality of the society. If this practice is slightly changed and even women are allowed to lead family, to be with their family, to help them in need, things would drastically change. And this has started happening at least in upper strata of society. If it is assured that she would also take care of parents just as the men is expected to, she would become more equal to men in the eyes of her parent.
Another major reason for not wanting a girl child is a responsibility to protect her, she is made the family honor and if her modesty is outraged, family honor is gone and thus protecting her is a big responsibility. On the other hand male child causes no such concern. In the modern world this medieval belief should be done away with. Women should be relieved from this burden of being honor of the family. She should be treated just like any other human being any violence against her or sexual violations should be treated as a crime not against women but society. There should not be any discrimination and this taboo of relation between sex and honor should have no place in modern society. In a civilized society like ours it is the responsibility of government to protect citizens. If government plays its role properly then even this obstacle in giving equality to women could be removed.
Important thing here is that every thing positive or negative comes from the mindset of people, the mindset which has been inherited from ages by the society as a whole. If there is anything that could change it , it is education alone.Our education system does not give importance to social and moral values, It only teaches importance of money, and makes a person a money craver, who is ready to do anything and everything to gain money, this is what he has learned from his education inside and outside school. This man is the one who does not even spare his own children and chooses between son and daughter.
If women are provided equal opportunity not only in material sense but in terms of grooming her thoughts and mindset, she could be as strong as a man. She would no more be dependent, as has demonstrated by women today. Equality has to come from the root level, all beliefs and tradition which stop us from giving this fundamental right to women should be changed. For example the desire of male child is a much accepted practice in India and the world. The reason for that are many. A girl child has to be protected, she has to be married to a man for which a heafty dowry has to be given. She is not educated properly, she is not fed properly because ultimately after marriage she would not be with the family so why to invest in her so much ? On the other hand a male child would bring dowry, would lead the family, would take care of parents in their old age and thus investing and loving him seems but natural. Behind all these reasons lay the sheer selfishness, which is human nature. Taking one example, from our cow we expect a female calf which would one day become a cow and give us milk. We don't want a male calf in this case, because he is of no use to us, tractors and other agricultural machinery has taken over his job and he is useless. There are many such examples which shows that human beings choose between male and female for their benefits.
In the modern world when there are no frequent fights, no hard jungle dwelling, no hunting gathering which needed strong physique males to do jobs for the family, can we not expect ourselves to shed this mindset of requirement of male for leading a family ? Taking example from previous paragraph, dowry is one such ritual practice which puts women in a disadvantageous position. Think if nobody has to pay money for their daughters marriage just like they don't have to for their sons, wouldn't it decrease their desire for not having a daughter ? after all human being are rational economic animals.
Similarly practice of a girl moving from her parents home to her in laws' home makes her less attractive to be desired and loved by her parents who cannot divorce themselves from this general mentality of the society. If this practice is slightly changed and even women are allowed to lead family, to be with their family, to help them in need, things would drastically change. And this has started happening at least in upper strata of society. If it is assured that she would also take care of parents just as the men is expected to, she would become more equal to men in the eyes of her parent.
Another major reason for not wanting a girl child is a responsibility to protect her, she is made the family honor and if her modesty is outraged, family honor is gone and thus protecting her is a big responsibility. On the other hand male child causes no such concern. In the modern world this medieval belief should be done away with. Women should be relieved from this burden of being honor of the family. She should be treated just like any other human being any violence against her or sexual violations should be treated as a crime not against women but society. There should not be any discrimination and this taboo of relation between sex and honor should have no place in modern society. In a civilized society like ours it is the responsibility of government to protect citizens. If government plays its role properly then even this obstacle in giving equality to women could be removed.
Important thing here is that every thing positive or negative comes from the mindset of people, the mindset which has been inherited from ages by the society as a whole. If there is anything that could change it , it is education alone.Our education system does not give importance to social and moral values, It only teaches importance of money, and makes a person a money craver, who is ready to do anything and everything to gain money, this is what he has learned from his education inside and outside school. This man is the one who does not even spare his own children and chooses between son and daughter.
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