Do
Indian laws support “gender stereotypes”?
Our
Indian society is said to be male-oriented. It is a patriarchal society that we
live in. India, being a secular country, has separate laws for people belonging
to different religions. These laws were made keeping in mind the ancient
customs and usage of the society since the dawn of our civilization. This is
because we still respect the laws and customs which were laid down by our
predecessors and worship them. The practice in most religions since ancient times
was such that, when looked at from modern perspective, are gender-biased.
Hence, some of the Indian laws may seem to be gender-biased too. No doubt that
most of the misogynistic customs have been made illegal in India such as dowry,
sati, child marriage, etc. It is another question whether those laws have been
effectively implemented.
Much
has been said and done about the serious issues of “Gender Inequality”, but not
much heed has been paid to the less serious matter of “Gender Stereotypes”
which has its own impact in our society.
Let
us introspect on some “gender stereotypes” which we see amongst Indian people
resulting from our culture and customs:
v The
Right to pursue a career vis-à-vis the right of equality :
The way our socio- eco environment is even
in the 21st century in many cases women are expected to give up
their vocation after marriage or majority of the times after bearing children.
Women have proved to be better managers and in many cases better entrepreneurs
too, however still they are made to sacrifice their career once they are
married. This is mainly seen in our country most of the people have the benefit
of living in a joint family and that would assist women to share home
responsibilities and manage work or career more efficiently but it has exactly
been the opposite. This cannot be resolved by enacting legislations but can
only be changed with the evolution of our society and mindsets.
v Women
aren’t encouraged to tackle the issue of sexual harassment openly and seeking
help if need be. Women are expected to be gentle, calm and graceful rather than
being vocal forward about her views: The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,
Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, there are also the guidelines provided by
the Supreme Court in Vishaka vs. State of Rajasthan, etc. have been enacted to
protect women from being harassed. Women throughout the world are being
harassed, and this issue isn’t something which is just going to vanish on its
own, and that is why women need to learn how to tackle this problem or she will
always be a victim of harassment. Parents teach their girls to ignore whistles
that may come their way while walking on the road, or a seemingly harmless
brushing of body parts against anyone. However, sometimes silence is taken as
an affirmation by people who propagate sexual harassment. A line should be
drawn between what kind of behavior is better left ignored and what kind of
behavior needs to be reacted to. When such a line is crossed, she should react
appropriately. That is where the laws come into the picture.
A
girl who emanates qualities like being “delicate” and “innocent” is the first
target of an assaulter. Whereas a woman who is publicly vocal about such things
is never the first choice of the attacker. In today’s world, a woman should be
aggressive and straightforward just like a man if she wants to be treated
equally. An educated, forward-thinking girl will not silently tolerate being
harassed.
v Women
should not travel at late night: Parents won’t freak
out if their son is late, but they lose their minds when their daughter is
late. Every parent teaches their daughter that the best thing for them is to be
home by 6-7pm or she is sure to get raped or drugged or harassed if she stays
out till late. Nobody teaches their sons to never disrespect any girl in any
way and to stand up for women in need. This outlook cannot be changed by any
law. It can only change with the thinking of the masses.
v Women
should always let her man lead: There are some types
of families which are matriarchal where the mothers of the family make the
important decisions. It is an Indian saying that women bring wealth is the
house. Then why can’t she lead?
v Women
should always cook for her family: Nobody can handle
each and everything in life. In families of slightly liberal minded people,
women are allowed to work. But they are thinking a tad bit too liberally if
they assume that all the house chores can be handled by her besides handling
her job. Everyone needs help and life isn’t only about working. It would do us
good to unwind and relax every now and then.
v Women
should not socialise or have any friends from the opposite sex: Women
in India have always been discouraged from interacting with the opposite sex. A
girl’s character is questioned upon if she has a lot of “guy” friends. On the
contrary women should be encouraged to have friends from the opposite sex who
are respectful and loyal and they are helpful in the time of need.
Indian
laws are very “pro” women, but the same cannot be said about the Indian
attitude. A law does not come to life unless it is rightfully implemented.
Recently, a woman from a small village in Indore was asked to “prove” her
“chastity” to her in-laws by holding red hot iron rods in her hands and the
same was to be done in front of the entire village Panchayat. The woman along
with her maiden family had the courage to approach the right authorities and
file a case against the in-laws and the husband. They were charged with section
498 A of the IPC for Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal
intent a married woman.
Hence,
I conclude by saying that it is not the Indian Laws which support or promote
these “gender stereotypes”, rather it is the lack of proper implementation as
well as lack of the right outlook towards women that promote the “gender stereotypes”.
A woman is as powerful and fearsome as a man, if only she can be made to
believe in herself.
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