GENDER SENSITIZATION

“Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong…it is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum, not as two opposing sets of ideas.”― Emma Watson

See this Bulbul with its broods in the nest. How nicely it's feeding its babies, treating them equally.  No one teaches this kind of parenting to the Bulbul, But still, this Bulbul is treating the babies equally without knowing their sex or gender. I think we should learn something from this Bulbul, to treat the children equally, to give them equal freedom, to give them equal rights. These creatures are better than we humans, at least they are treating their younger ones equally.

As recently I attended the webinar on "Gender sensitization", I really felt something very knowledgeable and practical. Many things related to gender inequality are happening around us but we don't even notice them. It starts from the birth of the child when people determined the sex of the baby, from that moment onwards we all start treating the baby according to their sex, which is just a biological difference, means female, Male or Intersex. These are only biological differences between human beings. So from the child's birth itself, we teach them the different practices according to their sex which are socially acceptable. Like we make a difference that if a baby boy is there then we will bring blue color clothes, cars & bikes as toys, etc and if the baby girl is there then we will bring pink color clothes and soft toys. So from here itself we start building thinking which gradually ended up with a vast conflict. Then gradually we bring up our younger ones by teaching the differences like you are a boy and boys don't cry, they wear shirts & pant, they play football and cricket, they only have toys like cars, a bike, and an airplane, they are more powerful, run fast, and finally one statement "they are more respectful, more powerful and better than girls" nowhere the problem begins, boys start believing that this is how they are socially acceptable. In the same way, the upbringing of girls is in the way that they should wear frocks, suit or sari, they play with the doll, they usually cry, they are kindhearted, etc. and hence they are weaker than boys. So all these nonsense talks are manmade, they made gender difference. As gender is a social construct and sex is biological.  Sex and gender are terms that are often used interchangeably but they are in fact two different concepts, even though for many people their sex and gender are the same. All the difference between a male and a female is created by our society. like if I am a woman then I can’t use abusive language, I can’t go out at night, I can’t go somewhere alone, I can’t have short hairs, I can’t smoke, and many more things. Suppose if someone saw that a woman is using abusive language then definitely they would say how manner less woman. But instead, if they saw a man doing the same then it would be normal for people. This means this thinking shows that people decided the rights of man and woman...like a man can use abusive languages and a woman can't. Man can be dominant but a woman can't, man can smoke and drink but a woman can’t.

So, Is this a birthright?

No, not at all...this all is created by us,  by our society. We made this difference and so because of its result we are facing a huge crime against women. And gradually building a male dominant society. We built up our thinking for a man and woman, suppose we all are habitual of the practices going around us. Like at our home our mum cooks food. But when it’s time for a restaurant then we people suddenly imagine an image of a male cook at the restaurants. Because we saw only this around us...that mum cooks food at home and a male cook would be there at restaurants. Suppose if I say a word nurse then definitely you will imagine a lady, but he /she maybe both. If I say doctors then an image of a man will form instantly in our mind.

So what is this?

This is actually what we are learning in our surroundings. From our kindergartens, we are learning with pictures of a man as a doctor, a lady as a nurse, a man as police, and so on. In this way, our socialization is taking place. It’s not our mistake but is only and only our mistake. if I am a teacher then I can take a stand as I will never do partiality between boys and girls in my class, I would give them equal opportunities, I would serve them equally, means I will help out society to eradicate these beliefs of gender inequality. Likewise, many other teachers or parents, or even anyone who is in direct contact with children treat them equally and eradicate gender inequality. Children in school obey teachers very much, so why don’t we take benefit of that by teaching them about gender equality, because they are learning gender roles from society as a part of their socialization. We can teach children that to do house chores, to prepare food, to do cleaning, to do the washing, to arrange things, etc is everyone’s responsibility, not a gender role. To make food and cleaning the house, these are the basic needs, not gender roles. At least we can teach children these small things which are up to their levels that it would be easy for them to understand that all are equal, no one came with any special rights by birth. It may bring down domestic violence too. We can at least convey this thinking to the people around us. Our one-step can change the world. Rightly said “teachers are the real potters,” we the teachers can transform the world with a small step.

"Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, sustainable development and building good governance." 

                                  Image courtesy - Ankita Singh 

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