Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Blue for boys, pink for girls; Comic books for boys, Fairy tales for girls; Toy cars for boys, Barbie Dolls for girls and the rule of division goes on and on.
“Mamma let us donate my all the fairy tales’ books to poor children box”, declared my son on his way back from school.
All of a sudden my hand trembled on steering wheel and I pinched myself to make sure that I am not dozing off and dreaming. My little cheapskate never allows anybody to touch his story books or his toys, even the broken ones. Not even me!
In fact he always suspects that in his absence, I throw out his old toys and torn books. Now he is talking about donation, that too his much-loved fairy tale books! So my greater aim behind enrolling him into a Missionary School is finally successful, I thought and smiled to myself.
My thoughts were interrupted with his next announcement “Today I have received my library card and we were taken to the library for a book reading session”. I looked back at him with a broad smile “It’s too good, so which book you have read today?”
No answer.
Two tiny sad eyes looking out through the window pane. I sensed something was wrong but continued to focus on the road.
Back home after the refreshment he asked me, “Mamma, is Oliver Twist also a fairy tale or boys can read it? If so, in the next library session, I will ask for that”.
I was totally confused with this question. For the first time I came to know that there exists a division of literature for boys and girls. When he was in the library, one of his friends who is a girl was reading a fairy tale book. Out of curiosity, he asked her about that book and she laughed at him saying “Are you a girl that you want to see this book?”
All other friends started laughing too. He grew up with bed time stories of Cinderella, Pinocchio Thumbelina, Hansel and Gretel, Tom Thumb etc. Both of us enjoyed together these wonderful literary creations, never knowing that there is gender-wise segregation of literature. Now my eight year old boy is reluctant to read his most favorite books because he was mocked in school by friends of his own age. It was shocking for him.
But I wonder how that little girl knew those books are only for girls? And it seems many other children of his class are also aware of it. Is it their parents who told them or the teachers? It is definitely not the fault of these young ones that they are victim to our biased social value.
Blue for boys, pink for girls; Comic books for boys, Fairy tales for girls; Toy cars for boys, Barbie Dolls for girls and the rule of division goes on and on. If a child does not follow this rule, he or she will be teased by friends. This way from early childhood we are pushing gender discrimination into these little heads. And, it is very unfortunate that the seeds are being planted by us… the well-educated, well placed modern age parents.
A version of this was first published here.
Image via Pexels
A Freelance writer Tweeter: Priyamrita Chatterjee@piyamrita read more...
This post has published with none or minimal editorial intervention. Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address