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It's a societal failure that places material gains above human lives and perpetuates the belief that a woman's value lies in her ability to fulfil monetary expectations.
In a recent incident in Kerala, a medical student tragically took her own life after her boyfriend’s family insisted on receiving an extensive dowry for their marriage. The demands included various forms of wealth, such as gold, land, and even a BMW car. The distressing suicide note revealed a bleak reality- a belief that monetary wealth is all that matters. When the girl’s family couldn’t meet these unjust and unlawful demands, it tragically culminated in this overwhelming outcome.
The heart-wrenching truth behind her suicide exposes the ugly face of a societal ill that persists in many corners of our world. The young woman, driven to despair as her boyfriend’s family demanded an exorbitant dowry, reminds us of the urgent need to dismantle this archaic practice and empower women to stand against such injustices.
The demand for dowry is not merely a tradition; it’s an unlawful act that perpetuates gender inequality and diminishes a woman’s worth to material possessions. In this case, the gravity of the demands, ranging from gold to land to a luxury car, unveils a disturbing truth about how some families still view marriage as a transaction, disregarding a woman’s education, talents, and character.
It’s a societal failure that places material gains above human lives and perpetuates the belief that a woman’s value lies in her ability to fulfil monetary expectations. The suicide note, a poignant testimony, lamented a world where money eclipses love and character, emphasizing the urgent need for a shift in our societal values.
The untimely death of this young woman underscores the importance of fortitude in the face of adversity.
Women should be encouraged to stand strong against such unfair demands, to value themselves beyond material measures, and to reject the toxic notion that their worth is determined by their families’ financial capabilities.
Girls should be empowered with education, self-reliance, and confidence to combat societal pressures. They should be equipped not just with academic knowledge but also with the strength to challenge unjust norms, to speak out against exploitation, and to believe in their intrinsic value.
We must collectively condemn and ostracize such demands for dowry, recognizing them not as harmless traditions but as criminal acts that perpetuate inequality and push vulnerable individuals to the brink. Families, communities, and authorities must unite to create an environment where no woman feels compelled to take such drastic measures.
In moments of adversity, maintaining mental fortitude is crucial.
Encouraging women to seek support, confide in trusted individuals, and seek professional help when facing such coercive situations can provide the strength needed to navigate through these challenges. It’s crucial to emphasize mental health awareness and resilience-building, enabling women to withstand societal pressures and emerge stronger.
The tragedy in Kerala should serve as a clarion call for change. It’s time for society to stand together, support, and uplift women, ensuring that their worth is defined by their character, talents, and abilities—not by their families’ financial capacities.
It’s time to break the shackles of dowry demands and create a world where every woman can thrive without fear of exploitation or prejudice.
Image source: by James Ranieri from Pexels Free for Canva
A poet by heart, environmental and social activist,she is keen on social issues concerning women, children, nature lover and a dreamer. She desires to bring transformation in the mind of people raising voice on read more...
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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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