What is it is like to be a woman in a patriarchal dominant society?
Despite being entitled to basic human rights, we do not seem to be privilege enough to practice such rights that are as simple as the right to live, the right to education, or the right to have a career of our choice.
For many years, women fought hard to address these prominent issues that were being neglected.
Discrimination against women and inequality based on gender has become a norm for a society that it holds against women. Women start campaigning to reform laws and start agitating to demand their basic rights. Women are obliged to ask for freedom which is restricted to only a small part of society. Such human rights and freedom to live freely without any restriction that is forced by society is still a dream for millions of girls in society at large.
Family and society play an important role to regulate women’s life within their principles, and values. Some women hold on to such principles without any choice, but to recognize as a dignified woman of society. For decades, women have been going through repression, dominance, unnatural indoctrination, rigid caste hierarchy, untouchability, and denial of freedom even at their homes.
There are several cases of society including rape, homicide, dowry, domestic abuse, bullying, assault, and bigotry. It is a society that must be blamed.
Men dominate society and women have naturally oppressed ones even over the decision of working for a living that would further give her freedom of spending as she may. Sadly, it all starts with cultural policing, where rape deterrence is advised: don’t walk alone at night, don’t wear short skirts and trousers, and so on. We exist in a culture in which abuse of women is both an event and a language. The root of this stems from our culture. Instead of teaching men not to rape, we are being asked not to be assaulted.
Education for girls has always been a matter of concern because some girls cannot enjoy such a privilege. Girls were pulled out of school when they hit puberty because they were considered ready for marriage, while boys still enjoyed their childhood. Gender inequality is not only a pressing moral and social issue, but it is critical to economic challenge.
Over 2.7 billion are legally restricted from having the same job as men. Globally, countries are losing over a hundred and sixteen trillion dollars in wealth because of the difference in earnings between men and women. Most women urban and rural are brought up with the preconceived notion that education is the stepping towards finding a good husband, it becomes the goal of a women’s life. Parents feel that they fulfilled their duty by educating them and then what is left is to marry them off.
Regarding social and political aspects, women are still not to be seen at the forefront. There is still a lack of opportunities for women in such fields. Women are recognized by society as less capable of various positions in Politics, even though they are more intuitive and educated enough than other male candidates. Even once they are elected, women hold a lesser position than men.
Concerning their appearance, they are still being judged. No matter what they intend to wear, they will be mocked by society itself. Sometimes their family approves the clothes they were, sometimes they are asked to follow a dress code. Women are blamed for the sexual assault that happens against them because of what they wear. It becomes obvious that women are not safe in a society where she has to be a part of such restrictions on what she should wear in public. Imposing such restrictions on women ensures more violence against them.
Society ultimately tries to silence the reasoning voices of women.
Silence breeds more silence, resulting in a stagnant society with no reforms and with no change. This dangerous cycle is repeated endlessly until all dissent is stifled. This all starts at home, but we have to realize the severity of the situation, we have to come united and stand against the discriminatory social rule. The positive aspect is that many women are fighting against the patriarchal rules, and they are working effortlessly to create awareness. Some women who are unable to raise their voices are afraid to come out and raise their voices against the patriarchal dominant society.
They need the support of other women and NGOs as well who are working for the cause. We have to help those women to raise their voices and make them aware of their basic rights. We need social acceptance in society. Due to male dominance in society, many of them do not accept the success of women. Now the woman enters into many fields.
When a girl is mistreated or raped, we tend to set out on the streets for candle marches, perhaps some days of protests, so it’s over. It lasted for a week, for a month, for a year, however, the question up here remains similar, What changes it bought?
We’ve to start with our societies, we must alter our social controls. only if societies, households, and people can begin treating ladies as equal — and not as targets of oppression, violence, and sexual gratification — things can be amended.
And this doesn’t happen by ever-changing laws and by threatening to penalize. If violence against women needs to stop, men ought to reform their behavior, preceded by their ideas and thoughts. These changes need efforts from the individuals and society around the individual. This can be the ground our government must act on. We’ve to interrupt that paternal system. Society is often blamed for gender-based differences, however, the family, the essential unit of society, is usually the place to begin, practicing these rules.
It doesn’t help when a child grows up to experience complete male dominion in the house. Several families enforce strict rules for women, that are enforced by the elders within the family. They are reminded of their duties towards their men and simple mistakes and inconsistency in behavior are regarded as disgraceful.
There are varying common forms of gender discrimination faced by women from a very tender age:
boys are served food before, boys get the best beds to sleep on, household chores are forbidden for boys, and also the desires of boys are given the first preference. These instances could appear negligible, however, they pose a profound influence on the kid.
Children growing up in such unhealthy surroundings fails to check such bigotry; rather, it becomes a section of their cultural and gender norms, that are to be followed and additionally defended strictly.
Any deviation from these paternal rules is seen as an on the spot threat to the culture, and society. Some try and raise their voice against such discrimination, they’re suppressed by quoting the instance of other women.
The oppressive culture honors women who silently or silently obey the laws and work to enact them, and the challenging women are branded, maligned, and targeted not only by men but also by women. Society’s answer is aimed at demoralizing the heart of every woman who dares to reason and challenge the laws of the patriarch. At the same time, due to less recognition by male peers, they face problems in the same area.
Regarding their possession and management of land and wealth, most women are left out of decision-making. This violates their economic rights, including the right to own their property, nutrition, and water, and to regulate them. They can’t even earn a living in exchange. Women should be allowed to choose independently and live the lives that they wish to live.
To do this, women must have their economic rights realized. That means having adequate housing, proper education, access to quality healthcare, controlling what happens to their land, having access to decent work, and living free from violence. They are meant to be basic rights, and we have every right to practice them. Women want the world to get better for them and everybody.
This is our hope, and we’re mobilizing each other to make the visions come true. When women are permitted to hold “male” positions, they prove to be equally capable and worthy.
It is necessary to change the system of society and culture that is being followed for a long time against women, and that change has to come from within. The day when we all will come together and fight for it will be the day when we will be able to draw the change that our society needs.
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