@remona 16 March 2022 more from that month

Gender Role | One incident that I recently faced and my Thoughts on this! *It's safe to say that some of us still carry a primitive understanding of gender. I understand the reason behind it. But again, it's high time to change our minds or at least understand the impact of our actions.*

img https://unsplash.com/photos/iDCtsz-INHI Let me share the incident so it will be clear to you. I usually take my son cycling during the afternoon where around 15 children of different ages also cycle together. Parents don't allow their daughter to go far on cycle but son. I understand the reason and I think that's a good thing. But a few days ago, one parent was talking with her almost 10 years old daughter loudly, **"don't go very far, you are a girl. You shouldn't go that far."** I was astonished. But to my surprise, what she did after that made me speechless. She asked the 5-8 years old boys to look on her daughter so she can't go very far or be safe (as per her thought). I'm quoting here, **"hay, boys; keep an eye on the girls and call them to not go very far."** I felt two things very strongly - I didn't like the approach of the parent. She could have made her daughter understand the dos and don't privately. But talking with her in a loud voice and saying she shouldn't go far because she is a girl is a big NO for me. This statement is enough to make that little girl feel less. Second, no one not even her son should have the power button to control her. Giving her security and looking after her is another issue, but directly telling the boys (who are junior to her) to keep an eye on her would make the boys feel that they have the right to control women, they are superior. One thing I need to make clear is that I obey our religious rules and all. But that was totally contradictory to our religion as well. Maybe our father and brother can take our responsibility and can tell us some dos and don't (that are good for us). But besides that, no random male should never have the power or even the thought to do so. It's not right in any sense. img https://unsplash.com/photos/UcUROHSJfRA

I'm a mom of a boy child and I feel the pressure to make him understand gender roles, how he should behave with women/girls and how he should treat them. *In our society, we expect males and females to act in a certain way, which I agree mostly. Yeah, I strongly believe males and females serve different purposes and as such, they must have different lifestyles accordingly. If anyone wants to not carry the 'expected' roles, that's their choice. I have nothing to say on this, I'm not the judge of their life.* Moreover, we can talk for hundreds of hours about equality and all. I believe that's another thing that I'm not talking about today. I hope you understand what I tried to say, don't get me wrong on this sensitive issue.