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So, this is the Indian society where the would-be father & mother are working in IT companies and the family is educated. But a girl child is still not accepted!
It was the seven months ‘Baby Shower’ ceremony of a couple, who are very good neighbours of mine.
The would-be father suddenly brought few hand-made props and asked everyone to pick one for the photo shoot. They were “boy to be” “girl to be” “happy mother” “happy father” and “happy family” props. And then I was left astonished!
It was the seven months ‘Baby Shower’ ceremony of a couple, who are very good neighbours of mine. I was invited to their house party. It was a small function with their family members who included the would-be father’s parents, his sister, sister’s kids and his wife (the would-be mother).
Since I am their neighbour, I was the only outsider they had invited in this COVID-19 situation. They were very busy with providing me food, sweets and clicking pictures. The kids were also playing with me. It was all naturally, to make me feel like a part of their family.
I also thought of clicking few pictures of them and thus, took out my DSLR and started clicking pictures. They began posing, changed dresses and again posed. I was delighted to see the old parents caring so much for their daughter-in-law, which is something that very difficult to see in Indian households.
The would-be father suddenly brought few hand-made props and asked everyone to pick one for the photo shoot. They were “a boy to be”,” a girl to be”, ” happy mother”, “happy father” and “happy family” props.
I was astonished to see that no one picked up “a girl to be” prop. The guy wanted to give it to his mother but she was reluctant to take it and when the father was asked, the sister replied, “We all want a baby boy”.
So, this is the Indian society where the would-be father and mother are working in IT companies and the parents, sister and everyone is educated. But a girl child is still not accepted in the society.
Feeling a lump in my throat, I clicked their pictures, packed my camera and came back home.
Despite years of struggle for securing basic rights and equality for girls and women, there are still parents and families wanting a boy child rather than a girl. In today’s world, women have made commendable achievements in various fields and are slowly rising up in leadership positions as well. But are women’s talents and capabilities realised in the Indian society?
There are so many laws, NGOs, government bodies that are working for the upliftment of girl child. But if in the roots of a family, the negligence of not accepting a girl child remains, it’s all futile.
A girl child is a boon that happens to those parents who are empowered themselves. Everyone is not fortunate enough to be a girl’s parents.
Please do give it a thought. Your actions will pave the way for a better India!
Image souce: Still from Nil Battey Sannata
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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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