Gender - What Is That?

Will there be a day when we ask ourselves this question? Will there be a day when the boundaries of being male and female, girl and boy, woman and man will cease to exist? Will there be a day when there would be true equality in contrast to the current trends that we observe?

Look around and you will see…

May be our lives in the more urban, developed parts of the country have changed and continue to change. Maybe people give value to the voices of women and cherish their thoughts and opinions in some segments of the society, in certain areas of work. But is that the larger truth which is applicable to the broader societal fabric that exists around us?

I am not as certain or sure of the pervasiveness of the changes. There is ample evidence to suggest that in large pockets of the nation the regressive patterns of being and believing continue to flourish. We read about it in the papers, hear about it on the news, and witness it in the lives of some of the people we know.

But I believe…

The movement towards a change has nevertheless been heralded. And it is a big step in the right direction. Much is left to be achieved and the goals are tremendous requiring the effort of many in a sustained and continuous fashion. There is no doubt in my mind that society in some respects has begun to alter its thinking and the way of looking at and doing things.

As there is more debate and discussion and ordinary conversation around some of these topical issues, we see change being harnessed. From the small things that people do in advocating for education for all to the larger things that happen at the policy making level where there are slogans like “beti padhao, beti bachao”, it gives me hope that the equality we all strive for would become a reality.

Our small steps…

Probably holding the greatest value is the small steps each of us takes as individuals. If each person begins to play their part and imbibes the ascribed role of an equality seeker whole-heartedly, much would be achieved. There is a need for more conversation, more awareness generation. There is a need for explaining and discussion. There is also the need for advocacy and policy making. Each of these are small things which can become very big if we continue to engage with them continuously through various mediums and across diverse platforms.

For the goal is to create greater equality and balance within the societal fabric.