Many people have probably already written about this, and probably better than I will. But this is one aspect which really disgusts me. In India, everyone thinks of girls as "daughters", someone who needs to be protected, sheltered, and who, for her own "safety", be restricted at every turn of life.
Whether it's studies, or simple fun, there are always certain "rules" which girls need to follow, if they want to conform. Most girls are simply not allowed to study after a certain age- how will you "get a boy" if you study so much-, not allowed to go out after a certain time, have carefully censored friends, and definitely not move around with anyone "unsuitable". Any thoughts against these are taken to be plain rebellious, and too much in accordance with "western" culture.
Independence is not an option. For your own "safety".
Everyone treated the rape as a shocking event, organized protests, demanded the death penalty for the rapists. But still, rapes and other crimes against women, only increased in number, and in intensity. Why?
Many Indian men have a funny mentality. Either they look at girls as fragile pieces of china, to be kept safe on a mantel, or as mere playthings, to do as they please with. The climax is when they actually adopt a "holier-than-thou" attitude in the end, claiming that they couldn't help themselves. They simply cannot bring themselves to look at girls/women as fellow human beings, to be accorded equal respect and space. This includes the "educated" class of society as well.
You would never see a man being similarly objectified.
India has developed in many ways, but it will not be able to grow unless the country changes its basic mindset. Women are the backbone of any society, and unless they are given truly equal rights, and most importantly, respect, then, instead of moving forward, we will start moving backward.
Girls are not "daughters" to be protected, but are simply human beings, to be treated equally, and to be given equal respect.
Whether it's studies, or simple fun, there are always certain "rules" which girls need to follow, if they want to conform. Most girls are simply not allowed to study after a certain age- how will you "get a boy" if you study so much-, not allowed to go out after a certain time, have carefully censored friends, and definitely not move around with anyone "unsuitable". Any thoughts against these are taken to be plain rebellious, and too much in accordance with "western" culture.
Independence is not an option. For your own "safety".
Everyone treated the rape as a shocking event, organized protests, demanded the death penalty for the rapists. But still, rapes and other crimes against women, only increased in number, and in intensity. Why?
Many Indian men have a funny mentality. Either they look at girls as fragile pieces of china, to be kept safe on a mantel, or as mere playthings, to do as they please with. The climax is when they actually adopt a "holier-than-thou" attitude in the end, claiming that they couldn't help themselves. They simply cannot bring themselves to look at girls/women as fellow human beings, to be accorded equal respect and space. This includes the "educated" class of society as well.
You would never see a man being similarly objectified.
India has developed in many ways, but it will not be able to grow unless the country changes its basic mindset. Women are the backbone of any society, and unless they are given truly equal rights, and most importantly, respect, then, instead of moving forward, we will start moving backward.
Girls are not "daughters" to be protected, but are simply human beings, to be treated equally, and to be given equal respect.
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