I cannot count the number of times I have been approached at parties by cocky, know-it-all guys pretending to know ‘my type' of women.” What'll you have?” they say, “a cosmopolitan or a margherita?” I nonchalantly reply, “How about the whisky and soda that you are having, without the soda?,” flummoxed, they mumble incoherently and walk away.
Gender demarcation
Gone are the days where we women order a diet soda while guys who can't handle drinks misbehave after a few shots. Today's women feel free not to stick to stereotypes and do what they want, without being bothered if it's a ‘guy thing' or not.
We too like to play games like 'Modern Warfare' or ‘FIFA'on our X-Box or maybe watch a premier league football game on television.
There was a time when I was looked at with a certain reservation on the football field, when I went kitted up in the latest Manchester United jersey and flashy Nike cleats.
The “go easy on the girl” attitude was quickly dispelled with after a few tackles by me, and the boys trudged home after the game with quite a few knocks!
The attitude of men, initially an obstacle to women in doing things they want to, turns into a source of entertainment as they look surprised or let out exclamations when we do something they don't expect us to.
Like, the time I settled an argument between my friends who were debating whether Sourav Ganguly made his international debut in 1994 or 1996 and I dropped a bomb on them when I said it was actually against West Indies in 1991/92. Needless to say there was a pin-drop silence for a few seconds after which one of them checked the Internet and found out I was right.
The fact that they chose to access the Internet shows that they are still in denial and cannot accept that a woman knows or plays a sport better than them.
But then again, I don't blame them, how would you feel if your husband cooked that special chicken curry better than you? But, the attitude towards gend issues is improving. It is not a very big deal if women choose to travel alone or go on a biking trip on their own ‘Royal Enfield' or ‘Harley Davidson'.
We are the new age women and we are going to change with the times, whether our male friends like it or not!
Keya, First year, Bachelor of Mass Media, Usha Pravin College of Management.
