How do we address the myth that Men are Busy and Women are Free.

 Many times when vendors or postmen ring a bell any time of the day and I wonder what makes them think I am going to be there to receive the parcel or sign the cheque?

Especially in Indian practice, people drop in for such errands without even checking out whether the woman is at home or not.

In our society, it is mostly the men who go to work and the women are at home. The percentage of working women has changed in the last few decades yet not significantly.

So, I almost laugh at the person who comes home assuming that I am going to be home without really checking out on me.

It’s a social and cultural mindset which we have that makes us assume that we knock at a women’s door anytime at of the day without really checking out whether she is free or not.

The woman also has a lot of domestic work, child-rearing, cooking, cleaning, etc. while she is at home.

Just because the man brings in the money it is assumed that he is busier and working more than his counterpart of his wife.

So when he comes home he has a right to throw tantrums to throw a fit and the entire household revolves around him.

This mindset also exists amongst servants and not only the family members. The people who grew up in villages have the mindset that men are in authority and power and therefore are the bosses and the lords of the systems.

They can do anything without being questioned. Yet the system revolves around them.

How do we address this mindset that although time-wise the men may be doing more work which is remuneration base but the women may be involved in activities which are social, cultural, and parenting for the family?

Both these needs are important and therefore only the earning member is more significant and more relevant needs to change a cultural context.

Author:-Dr. Nayana Shah (Ph.D.)

           Director, Manthan

             Ahmedabad  

Comments

  1. Sudeshna bhojiaNovember 30, 2021 at 2:36 AM

    Yes, the patriarchal mindset has to be replaced. This is a Patriarchy vs, Equality tug.
    Steps are been taken to completely do away with the stereotyping of roles for both men and women. I feel happy to see the media responding gradually to this requirement. From fairness cream to women role models in media - a lot is being done. The textbooks under GSEB, NCERT show inclusiveness- this is a definite step towards de-stereotyping. So, change is there, though slow, but it's there.
    What concerns me more is not 'them', but 'us'... family as a unit. We need to identify the stereotypes we are strengthening through our routines, our talks...are we de-stereotyped? Are we ready to face ourselves? To understand our own mindsets?
    The way the Man Vs. Woman jokes on whattsapp become viral... I wonder how far we are really aware that these are the surest ways of deepening the divisions.

    ReplyDelete

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