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We're taught what and how to wear, how to make ourselves presentable and what not! And given our upbringing, we never even question such things.
They say that freedom comes when you stop caring about what people think of you. But in my opinion, it’s not always the case. We girls are taught to maintain our posture right from childhood. We’re taught what and how to wear, how to make ourselves presentable and what not! And given our upbringing, we never even question such things as we never thought of it in that way. It’s like our life has been set like that by default.
It’s very common for a girl to ask for permission from her father or her husband before setting foot outside the home. And we have a common perspective, that is like ‘it’s for the girl’s safety and it’s not controlling’.
Yes, I agree to tell your family about your whereabouts isn’t called being controlled. But what about the time when the same people who claim to care about your happiness don’t let you go to a certain place just because they think it’s not okay for a girl?
What about when most girls are banned from studying further and are asked to learn the house chores because if we get married and don’t know how to cook, our parents would be ashamed of us?
Why is it common for people to tell us, girls, to get married when we want to enjoy ourselves, our lives, and establish our empire, that too on our own? Why can’t I dress as I like or as I feel comfortable? Why do I have to be the one to be cautious of my tone or my sitting posture anywhere I go? Why can’t I laugh as loud as I want, or why can’t I skip learning the recipes and opt for the career I want for myself? What am I asking much that society or parents can’t afford?
One moment people be like demanding equality for both boys and girls, and the next moment they will be asking their daughter to stay at home when their son is enjoying outside. We want equity. We want society to accept that we girls aren’t as fragile as we are thought to be. For me, Freedom is like that golden bird whom I have heard about in the stories but had never seen. The tale of Freedom is never a good or happy thing for girls, and the reason is it is equipped with the opinions and thoughts of others who controlled them.
Whenever I decided to go out with my friends, I have to beg my father but just because I am a girl, and I cannot go outside to chill with my buddies. And even if I wanted to go, then I have to bring my brother with me. This thing forces me to think that why my Freedom is depending upon my brother? Why do I have to take someone with me if I want to go shopping or outing every time?
After completing my graduation, I understand that I cannot do anything totally at my will, whether right or wrong. Even in today’s era, I have been allowed to do the job outside, and there are certain limitations to it. As a girl, I know that freedom or rights are not absolute because some people target me just because I am a girl. Being born a girl and doing things that I like to do is not as easy as eating bread with butter. And at every stage of my life till today, I have faced some uncomfortable situations that always made me think that I would have been better if I was born as a boy.
I remember I had a conversation with my father and mother, and I was so excited to share my job planning with them back then. When I share my opinion with them, I don’t know why, but I feel that they compare me to other girls who finished their studies and got married.
At first, they were totally against my job; they didn’t even allow me to attend interviews. But after 2 or 3 months, I decided that this is not the life I have ever imagined living. No matter If they are my family, no one has the right to keep me in a cage. I have the right to do anything in my life according to my way.
Everyone, irrespective of their gender, goes through different phases in their life. School, college, work, then marriage and so on. After each phase, a new opportunity is waiting for us to lead us to a new phase of our life. Who doesn’t have a dream, who doesn’t want to live a life at their will! After completion of my graduation, I decided to go for the job that I wanted to do.
Then, I started to prepare for interviews and finally cleared one interview and got a job as a Technical Content Writer. When you entered corporate life, you learn new things, you develop yourself to perform better, and as a girl, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. So, this is the first achievement I have got. Now am doing my job greatly without any limitations and worries.
I think the most precious right for a girl or woman is freedom. Freedom is a wing that allows us to do whatever we want to, but if we have complete freedom, we will inevitably get in the way of the freedom of others. So, unless someone lives in a cave or someone lives a life a girl is being forced to live, there is no complete freedom for anyone.
As a girl, I think that all women and girls need freedom or opportunity to create, improve the sick mentality of people, and show them that we are also strong enough to do other things and live our lives in our ways. Unfortunately, it isn’t feasible for us to appreciate the total opportunity. There should be some sensible limitations on our opportunity to permit others to partake in their privileges and opportunity.
Hurdles will always be there till the time our society doesn’t change its mind. Being a girl or woman can’t stop you from dreaming or leading a life of your own. Break your barriers and fly high to live your life.
Image Source: ChrisBoswell from Getty Images via Canva Pro
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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.
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