I hope, by this time, everyone is familiar with the #HeForShe speech given by Emma Watson last year.What makes it one of the most iconic speeches of modern times?It doesn't speak solely for women's rights,it advocates for men and women rights.As she rightfully pointed out, “It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum, instead of two sets of opposing ideals. If we stop defining each other by what we are not, and start defining ourselves by who we are, we can all be freer, and this is what HeForShe is about. It’s about freedom.”
Both men and women are victims of gender inequality.
With the rise of women,there has been a lot of skepticism about the laws that have been implemented, and it's true most of them favor women.There are lots of women who have misused these laws for their own advantages and ruined the lives of men.But these crimes go unnoticed because of an extremely distorted belief that men are NEVER victims,they are always the criminals.They are devoid of sensitivity,pain and misery.While, a woman getting raped garners attention from the media and a lot of support from the masses, a man getting raped is something that is never talked about.But a man's pathos has always remained unnoticed.I was talking to a friend a few months ago regarding his family problems.I asked him to share his load with me so that I can help him,but he said,he is a man,and men should never talk of their troubles.I told him that all human beings should express their feelings irrespective of their gender.I have seen my own father suffering but he has never shared it with his family.And I think this is a very common observation in most families.While women express themselves more freely,men suffer in silence and there are times they actually succumb to depression and anxiety by committing suicides.Similarly,when a girl is born,she is taught to be polite and submissive.She is asked to bow to a man because that's what qualifies as a womanly attitude.Girls are still married off at a tender age and their immature wombs are forced to breed children.While,it's a common belief that women are victims of body-shaming,recent studies indicate that men are victims too.A recent survey was carried out where men were asked to choose what they think of as a perfect male body.Most of them voted for a muscular one.But the women are not to be blamed here,because they don't have any such criteria.It's the men themselves who suffer from such insecurities. It's really shameful that even today,we are gullible to such prejudices,even the educated and the influential ones have failed to change the way we think.
There are more than just biological differences between men and women.
I have seen men and women fighting over the internet defending their gender,but if we stop once and ponder over why exactly we are fighting,we shall see,it's not because men are bad or women are terrible,it's because the societal system is itself wrong.It imposes certain stereotypes on us and we are bound to follow them to survive.When a man is born,he isn't taught to become a good human being,instead he is taught NOT to become a woman.Even today,we make fun of effeminate men because of the hugely flawed portrayal of masculinity as men being strong and aggressive.Women are similarly taught not to be men and this goes on for centuries.Two genders fighting against each other,when one is benefited,the other is victimized.No one ever says this has to stop.No one ever says, that men and women should complement,not contradict each other.You can be a man and still like the Pink colour,you can be a woman and still ride the bike.
In the recent times,there has been a lot of women bashing over the internet because of women enjoying all the privileges and men being left out.It's because of the massively advertised feminist campaigns,feminism is becoming synonymous to man hating,and I will agree with some men who are saying that for many women,feminism means permanent dominance over men,There are very few women who are actually advocating for equality.Men have been victims to false rape accusations and false dowry cases,but these women have not been punished as severely as men are punished for the same amount of crime.So where is the equality?While giving big talks about the necessity of feminism has become a very popular norm nowadays,everyone seems to have forgotten that such radical feminism might actually lead to harsh consequences in the future with men and women falling apart.
I think after reading this,you and I have all arrived at the same conclusion-Gender should not be used as means for discrimination any more.It's time that we stop thinking about our gender's welfare and concentrate on humanity's welfare.It's time we stop pointing fingers towards our gender when we fail or achieve. Let gender not be an issue or an identity.Let's accept that it exists and cannot be shunned, but it can be considered insignificant.
View my article at:http://www.universitybeats.in/2015/07/19/he-and-she/
