After clearing three national level engineering entrance examinations, all that Rima heard was, “Why didn’t you go for medical?” When Sujata was all set to soar high in the sky of her dreams by going for B.A at Delhi University, she was given the red signal: “You’re a girl. Why do you need to go so far? It’s not safe. Better go for B.A here, in our own state.” This is how our society underestimates a girl’s dreams and tries to put a full stop at her career. “Veterinary science is not for girls.” “Oh come on, you’re just sixteen. We can't send you so far from home to study.” “Oh my God, you’re 18 and you don't even know how to make a cup of tea.”(Yeah, I’m 18 and I still don’t know) “Don't do this; don't do that,” “That miniskirt and red lipstick; hell no, you look like a slut.” “Shout out loud and protest-no never, you are a girl.” To every stupid stereotype of this sort, it’s high time, we, girls stand up and say, “Piss off! Let me live my life.”
At times, I wonder why I can't be that happy-go-lucky chick that is contented with her career, friends, movies and shopping. I am indeed lucky as I was born in a lovely family where gender discriminating rules don’t exist. But then, I have a really ‘loud voice’ and I feel everything is so wrong around me that I'm like, "Seriously, why should I shut up?”
In so many of our families, girls are taught to be ‘kind and caring’ so much so that it only makes them ‘extra kind and super caring’. Instead of ‘kind and caring’ and ‘soft spoken and decent’, why don’t we teach our girls to be strong and fearless, ambitious and independent, well behaved but never refraining from speaking for themselves. This lesson is the need of the hour as it will prepare our girls to face every obstacle in life without being disheartened. Our lessons on kind and caring have only ended up portraying women as the meekest and the most timid creatures on earth, making them too delicate as they cry over petty matters and too gentle to stand up for their own rights.
We, people say that we are ‘ultra-modern’ in the sense that we use the latest electronic gadgets but can’t let go of the crap mentality, “What’s the use of a girl’s career? All she has to do is get married and raise up children. What’s the need of spending so much for a girl’s education?”In this context, some of our so-called respectable people in the society speak a language that has absolutely no relevance with the present time, only stimulating our ‘voice glands’ to shout, "Enough is enough.”
Our girls are supposed to take up caring professions like that of a teacher, a doctor or a nurse but not the professions of a mechanic, a policewomen or a pilot. If a girl wants to become a teacher, there’s indeed nothing wrong in that. But if she chooses to be a pilot, who are you to force her into being a teacher just because she is a girl; just because you think she is physically weak? But if she feels she is physically strong enough, who gave you the right to stop her? And again, if a girl wishes to get a job, why do you have to tell her to forget it and get married? In this era of globalization, it’s a shame that we are hell-bent on shouting slogans of “Beti bachao, Beti padhao” along with “Save tigers”.
My dear girls, it’s high time that you learn that you can’t be kind and caring in every bloody situation. If someone is being unjust to you, speak up. If someone is wrong, point out his mistake. Stand up for yourself; raise your voice against injustice; choose what you want from life and for God’s sake, stop being an ‘Ablaa Naari’. Stand up on your own feet; give your heart and soul to your work. Cherish your dreams, discover your true potential and take pride in being a girl....