We are teaching our daughters to be strong and independent, but are we teaching our sons to be feminists? Aren't feminist men the need of the hour
We are teaching our daughters to be strong and independent, but are we teaching our sons to be feminists? Aren’t feminist men the need of the hour?
It was Daughter’s Day a few days ago and I am sharing a note as a mom of a baby boy. In this day and age, it is quite hard to raise a baby boy. It is hard not to make mistakes while raising a baby boy. Why?
Because, as a society, we are pushing our sons towards an existential crisis to a great extent. We are not preparing them, neither are we giving them a fair chance.
While we are educating and empowering our daughters to the best of our abilities, we are not equipping our sons to be able to comprehend the power of the same.
Our daughters are being prepared to break the shackles of patriarchy. At the same time, our sons are being smothered with layers of centuries old knuckle dragging and chauvinistic attitude.
We are raising daughters to be in the army but are we teaching our sons to cook? While our daughters are being taught to fly high, to be independent, and to take care of themselves, are we telling our sons that it is okay for the wife to be the sole bread-winner and the husband to be a home-maker?
We are telling our daughters to be equal owners of the house. But are we telling our sons that running the household is the responsibility of a man too?
We are telling our daughters that it is ok if they don’t want to ‘settle down’ and have kids but are we teaching our sons that feeding the child is the responsibility of both the parents?
Our daughters know that it is important to fight back and not be afraid to ask for equality but are we teaching our sons that it is ok take a back seat?
We tell our daughters today that they should aim for the star and dream of heading a global venture. Have we told our sons that if she earns more than you, then you should be even more proud of her? And not feel emasculated by that fact?
The daughter wishes to be on the board of a company, be the decision maker. Does the son want to know what groceries are needed this month?
Our daughters know that saying saying ‘no’ means ‘no’ and that consent is not vague, it is absolute. But do our sons know that?
Because that is the only way rape culture will ever end.
So you see, until we give our sons a chance know these things, they will grow up totally unaware and be faced with the harsh reality all of a sudden. They won’t be equipped to be at par with our daughters, who are given the opportunity to be fair and stand equal.
These men will patronise and try to one up the women around them as they were brought up under years of toxic masculinity that claims women as unequal and lowly. We are denying our sons the power of knowledge by not creating awareness about the entrenched prejudice against women that the society carries.
Why deny our sons of it? Do our sons not deserve this knowledge and apparent pitfall of the prejudices that are ingrained in the society? Why set our sons for failure?
As a mom to a little boy, I sincerely hope that I can raise him to understand the true meaning of women empowerment. That it is not only freedom of choice/financial stability/the right to security and safety that is a woman’s right. It is definitely all that and more, but empowerment of women is also the freedom to make their own decisions. About everything. Be it clothes, bodies, or their choice in anything and everything they do or say.
The right to make their own decisions and to be accepted with that.
I hope I can guide my son to grow up to be a man who knows to respect the right to one’s own decisions that every woman should have.
Let’s all hope that ours sons are woke and on board with the agenda and not left behind.
Happy equal parenting!
A version of this was first published here.
Picture Credits: Pexels
I am the author of "26 Words : A to Z of Short Stories", a working mom and a blogger. I blog about parenting, pregnancy, food, read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, indivisual posts do not necessarily represent the platofrom's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
In marriages, too, two different individuals live under one roof and tend to grow together. But, unfortunately, at times, their individual growth is impaired due to many external factors.
For Suniti, it was an altogether new experience. She and Rahul were like chalk and cheese.
Somewhere in the endless quest for perfect skin, glossy hair, six pack abs, fitting in with the current fashion trends and presenting a flawless self to the world, we lose ourselves.
Truth is beauty and beauty is truth. Penned beautifully by the great John Keats, eons ago. Cut to modern times: beauty is as far from truth as possible.
Is feminism gender sensitive? No! Women can be sexist & men feminist. Raising feminist sons who grow up to be men who believe in gender equality is possible. #WomenOnTheMove share how.
Parents are more likely to tell their daughters that they can be anything they want — an astronaut, a sportswoman, a scientist, a lawyer — basically anything their heart desires. But do they do the same for their sons? If we want a gender equal society, one in which everyone has equal opportunities and can thrive equally, then we need to shun stereotypes and give our boys more choices.
As Women's Web celebrates ten years of awesomeness, here are ten best Parenting posts published on Women’s Web in the past 10 years. #ADecadeOfWomensWeb
As Women’s Web celebrates ten years of awesomeness, here are ten best Parenting posts published on Women’s Web in the past 10 years. #ADecadeOfWomensWeb
It seems like it was only yesterday that we discussed Mother’s Day posts, and Father’s Day is looming around the corner. And with several wonderful posts on each of these, Parenting is definitely a topic of interest for a lot of us!