Smash Patriarchy

Ever since we all have been kids we have been somehow indirectly or directly been indoctrinated about the great difference of our genders and our roles in the climbing ladder of our society. From the time we hear about how girls and boys are not suppose to talk to one another or have any kind of social interactions to not being able to participate in sports and do a fair job we have always heard on how to have that inequality in between and before we know it, we are adults and have been circulating this kind of indoctrination to our future generation and making a long circle of loop that can never be escaped out of. This is a serious issue to be concentrating on since it only has effected a childhood but also made sure that it continues throughout their entire lives and results in a life filled with degradation and depression. The most painful part is that this indoctrination of Patriarchy starts from home and continues in our school a place where you are suppose to educate and make yourself a better human being keeps telling you that you have no right to equality, this starts from not being able to talk to a guy just because he is a guy or not being able to sit next to a person of the opposite gender or schools and offices not having equal provisions for both men and women, little things matter a lot when it comes to spreading this inequality. Yes we do have house groups where we see both the genders standing up as leaders but even with this there is always one part that keeps the chains of patriarchy deeply dug into our backs.

Equality is something every human being is entitled to regardless of what their gender is and this is something each and every child should be taught from a very early age no matter what their cultural background is. One needs to break the stereotype and get over the fact that one gender outruns the other, granted this is something that will take a long time to achieve but it will certainly happen one day if indoctrination of Patriarchy is stopped at early ages from each and every place. Educational institutions need to keep in mind that if you suppress one gender then also do the same thing for the other, for e.g. in the name of saving your culture you expect a woman to wear traditional attire everywhere but then you don’t do the same thing with a man, by doing so you are directly and subtly blaming a woman for every action that happens against her which is basically what patriarchy means. What’s even more painful is that this kind of behavior comes from educated women that know and talk about the importance of equality outside but end up giving their children an unequal environment to grow up in. This is the most unfair thing an adult can do to their own children and their future. If we want a positive change we need to start change from the very root of the problem, which is starting with educating a child about equality from when they are young and let them know their rights as an equal human being not someone belonging of some gender.

By Amritha Lawrence