Why most of the humans need to learn the real meaning of Feminism!

Photo by Nicole Adams on Unsplash

Many of my friends are strong women which include not only the women who have gone against the wind and in many ways have conquered whatever field they have gone to, but also the women who stay at home and make a house – home. Both kinds of women do different things but they are strong in their own respective ways.

While talking to these women, frequently (knowingly or unknowingly) the word Feminism comes up every now and then. In earlier times when I didn’t know what this word actually meant, whenever I would hear the word feminism or feminist, an image used to come up of women who were always protesting over gender inequality. Which is true in its literary sense but honestly, it didn’t always excite me. At that time It used to feel like femme was a different race altogether. But after a decade of staying away from my home in an old little town, reading 100s of books and articles and talking and debating to these strong women in my life, the persona of feminism word has changed in its entirety.

It’s unfortunate to say that it’s the 21st century and knowingly or unknowingly this gender bias still exists. It exists everywhere in the world, in most of the cultures. But because I was born and raised in an Indian family and stay in India I find it very intense in Indian society. Here It’s a long road to achieving the gender equality. In the developing parts of India woman are still seen as someone who has to be home and take care of the kids and the men. I’ve even seen many women who have been cultured in a way that they feel men are superior. They put themselves very low in their own priority list.

However in the developed parts of India things are changing, even though slowly but they are changing. Women are actually seen as equal to men. They are working, they earn same or more than their counterparts, they drive vehicles and at the same time, they take care of their home and kids as well. Being in a developed part of India now, when I see around myself, I see a lot of these strong women who have taken up the stand and have understood their own place in the society.

I think you need to train people how you want to be treated. Like your pets need training on how to behave, so does humans.

The inequality stigma enlarges because of the lack of the right knowledge at the right time. Majority of earth’s population doesn’t know what feminism is indeed. Most of them still have the same image of rebel women, as I had. But that can change, that will change.

This topic shall be a part of the curriculum in schools, debates shall be done at the school level, children shall be educated about the role of women in the society and how they are equal to men. Because If you go to the root cause and try to resolve that, there is a possibility that this issue will be resolved – The Gender Bias Issue. Instead of favouring the boy child both boy and girl shall be treated equally at home and shall be educated in the manner that even though they are biologically different but they have similar rights.

Most importantly, a shift in the thought process is needed which will only come if women themselves and the men who understand the meaning of feminism take charge and start by educating their own children or in some cases husbands or parents about feminism. Boys and Men should be educated on how to appreciate a woman without staring at her body. They should be taught the chivalry and the qualities of a gentleman. Girl and women should be taught not to think any less of themselves and make sure that they are treated equally.

After all, feminism is not hating men but it is not being sexist.