One of the many definitions of gender inequality is “discrimination on the basis of sex or gender causing one sex or gender to be routinely privileged or prioritized over another”. Each and every citizen of this world has the right to equality irrespective of their gender or sexual identity.
“No part of my life to be dictated by what lies between my legs”
Tackling gender Inequality in the society is a complex and sensitive process that requires efforts at multiple levels. Recognizing and addressing the root causes is the key solution to end gender-based discrimination in the world.
India has always been one of the patriarchal societies, dominated by men. It can be said that stereotypes, gender norms and double standards are embedded in its soil. The problem starts with the clichéd-stereotypical mindset of the society. Women face discrimination at different stages of their lives, it starts even before her birth, inside the womb.
At Orion Square, we put gender equality at the heart of everything we do. Our ‘VONG’(Voice Of The New Generation) movement) is an initiative that aims towards tackling several social issues through the voice of the youth, supporting and promoting a more sustainable world.
Initially, The Orion square conducted a digital-live event on the topic “tackling gender Inequality” through its VONG initiative. The event was carried out by two guest speakers and a host via Instagram.
The guest speakers:
Aanya Wig- Gender Rights Advocate|founder @girlup.rise|TedX Speaker|SUSI Scholar
Sruthi Kutty- Gender and policy professional
A few questions were asked to the guest speakers related to the topic by the live audience and our host. Here’s the summary of the discussion on “Tackling Gender Inequality”.
Why is it important to have gender equality in a society?
Gender equality basically means that people of all genders have equal rights, opportunities, resources and responsibilities. Gender equality is a human right which when violated, results in gender-based discrimination.It is important for the development of a nation in various aspect- in terms of socio-economic status, safety and security, sustainability as well as an individual’s all-over growth and prosperity.
A society is more likely to grow and develop when people in it accept each other the way they are and stop categorizing one another into different boxes with lables on them.
“I am a girl with short hair and I am fine with it but I am categorized as a lesbian by some people. How do I tackle this mindset?”
In the society that we live today, it’s very easy for people to objectify you and to fit you in boxes they have, assuming this is how a person should look. Kuddos to you for being who you are, for standing out of the crowd and not being affected of what people think about you.
In order to tackle this mindset, we need to start approaching the people with such mindset. It’s necessary to start talking, explaining and educating people in a certain way that they will get the idea of what you want to convey, keeping in mind that no one’s sentiments are getting hurt.
Instead of explaining or educating them of the concept of lesbians or different genders, you can simply give them the examples of famous women who have short hair and explain that it’s because of their choice.
You can talk about actresses like Emma Watson and Jennifer Lawrence who keep short hair but are not lesbians. On other hand, many women prefer long hair over short ones which again depends on their interest and choice.
It should be clear that your way of clothing and hairstyle doesn’t define your gender or make you any less of who you are, it’s a choice.
“I am a boy, in 9th grade. I have always been under the pressure to earn money to raise family in future. Why aren’t we taught that both boys and girls could share the financial burden of the household?”
The root cause of this issue is the ‘assigned gender roles’ that has been fixed since ages in the patriarchal societies. Gender roles in the society means how we are expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct ourselves based upon our assigned sex.
For example, girls/women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways, be polite, accommodating and nurturing whereas men are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, stoic and bold. Women are expected to speak less, do the household chores, get married and raise children whereas men are expected to earn money and take the financial burden of the family. Gender roles are more likely to create lifelong cycles of Inequality.
“Spot the stigma”
It’s high time, we need to break the cycle and start speaking up for what’s right. Both boys and girls can share the financial burden if both are raised equally and are provided with equal resources and educational opportunities by their parents. At the same time, boys/men should also contribute in the household chores like cooking and cleaning since they are necessary survival skills. We need to stop glorifying men doing basic stuff like cooking or cleaning just because they are men and it’s something not included in their “gender roles” syllabus.
Spreading awareness is required among the parents regarding gender equality and its importance, the importance of raising children equally irrespective of their gender in order to break the stereotypical mindset of the society. Schools can play a huge role in spreading awareness in such matters, maybe in form of a parent-teacher meetings or any seminar regarding gender equality. As the one facing such issues, you should start opening up to your parents regarding certain things that you don’t feel is fair enough, conversations among family members can be the very first step towards breaking the stereotypes and tackling gender Inequality.
Is the topic of Gender Equality all about men and women?
‘Gender equality’ refers to all the genders, not just men and women. Yes, there are more than two genders and the term ‘gender’ represents both binary (men and women) and non-binary (LGBTQIA community) people. People generally think that the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ have the same meaning, but they are different concepts which are often used interchangeably. Sex refers to “the different biological and physiological characteristics of males and females, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones, etc.” Whereas gender can be defined as “social construct that is an internal sense of self, whether an individual sees themselves as a man or a woman, or another gender identity.”
“Gender is between your ears, not between your legs”
How do we tackle gender stereotypes at home?
Tackling gender stereotypes at home is the very first step towards achieving gender equality in the society. It’s a long process that requires various small efforts and a lot of patience. As they say, “little things matter”, and these little things have the potential to make a huge difference at different levels.
If you are a child or a teenager who’s facing gender stereotypes at home, start speaking up. Opening up to your parents or family members is the first step towards breaking the chain. There remains a generation gap between the parents and the children which often leads to lack of communication because of the difference in mindsets. There are chances that parents or adult members of the family have backwards, stereotypical mindset, and their way of thinking or perspective is way too different from the children, who mostly have a fresh mindset. In that case, as a child, you have to approach your parents/ family members for conversations. Just talking to them and trying to convey your feelings is very important and can have an impact on them.
Introspection is one of the best ways to spread awareness amongst people, if you want to make someone understand certain things, then simply show them an informative YouTube video regarding the same. It’s not always necessary to have debates or arguments to change someone’s way of looking at things, small-tiny efforts in regular basis can also lead to a greater change.
“Smash the stereotypes to end the patriarchy”
“Do men feel insecure about their better half/wife earning more than they do?”
It totally depends on the man, his nature, his point of view and perspective towards the society and women in general. According to a case study carried out in United States, men felt the most anxious when they were the sole breadwinner in the family, and the least stressed when their women partners were contributing 40% to the household income. But as women made more money past that point, men become “increasingly uncomfortable” and stressed, according to the findings.
The reason? Traditional social gender norms suggest that men should be the breadwinners in relationships. And, if a man is not fulfilling that expectation, it has the potential to damage his “self-esteem” and “self-worth” in front of the society.
It is evident that gender norms and stereotypes effect men too, leading most of them towards ‘toxic masculinity’ trait. Phrases like “Mard ko dard nahi hota” and “Man up” can be categorized as a few of the stereotypical comments against men. The patriarchal society forces men to be an emotionless money-making machine, it’s basically their so called “gender role”.
Such things might make a man insecure about his better half/wife earning more than they do. However, if we want a gender-equal society then we need to ignore all these old backward beliefs and norms, and move ahead with a rational and reasonable mindset, impowering and appreciating one another irrespective of their gender.
“Its time we see gender as a spectrum not as two opposing ideals.”– Emma Watson
Why is it important to have more women in political arena and leadership positions?
Paving the way for more women in the political and business arena, in leadership positions is an investment in more equitable and peaceful societies. Women in positions of authority tend to: resolve national crisis without resorting to violence, advocate for social issues that benefit all, and allocate budgets to health, education and sustainability.
Investing in women creates a ripple effect that yields multiple benefits, not only for individual women, but also for families, communities, and countries.
CONCLUSION
To tackle gender Inequality, we, at Orion Square are putting all our efforts in the ‘VONG’ movement, a safe space for youth to channel their voice to eradicate such prominent social issues and transforming this world into a better place.
Live events, webinars and discussions on these pressing societal problems is the very first step taken by ‘VONG’ to make the youth conceous about certain important topics and further encourage them to self learn and reflect their opinions in the society through our platform. We are just one part of making change happen, but we want that part to be significant, open to learning and ready to challenge the issue.
The Voice Of New Generation ‘VONG’ firmly stands in the battle to tackle Gender Inequality.
Article by:Aastha Kar-VONGle,Orion Square
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