Being A Teen Girl In India Wasn’t Easy – And Isn’t Today Either

Is being a teen girl in India today any different from being one twenty years ago? We discussed with #WomenOnTheMove in our weekly chat.

Is being a teen girl in India today any different from being one twenty years ago? We discussed with #WomenOnTheMove in our weekly chat.

Handling teenagers can sometimes be challenging for parents. Often we hear teenagers complain that their parents ‘just don’t get them’. It might seem over dramatisation to us. However, if we take a closer look we will see that even if their comments sound harsh and rude to us as parents, in reality being a teen girl in the world we live in today is entirely different from when we were growing up.

That said, as far as teenagers are concerned, they are basically the same everywhere: moody, cranky and stubborn. The life of an average Indian teenager is no different.

But, in a developing country like India, where the society is predominantly patriarchal and male chauvinist, being a teen girl in India isn’t easy. They are faced with a whole host of problems. Apart from the common teenage problems — body image, education, relationship troubles, peer pressure, menstruation and depression, the male biased social norms make matters tougher for the girls.

Earlier last week, we had our weekly #WomenOnTheMove chat over at Twitter, and this is what we discussed.

(If you’re not yet following Women’s Web on Twitter, do now, and you can come over for the chat too, every Wednesday 6-7PM IST).

Do Indian teenage girls get more freedom than before?

How has the digital age impacted Indian teenage girls?

As parents what can we do to raise confident girls?

And what do we tell the boys?

So what will we say to our teenage selves if we happen to meet them today?

So if you meet your teenage self today, what will you tell her? Comment and share your thoughts with me.

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About the Author

Jyotishree Mohanty

A part time backpacker, an accidental baker, a doting mother, a loving wife, a pampered daughter, an inspired blogger, an amateur photographer read more...

142 Posts | 526,613 Views

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