While watching an ad about a man gifting a car to his wife, a thought came to my mind. I dismissed it, believing it to be silly. Soon I noticed the same trend in other advertisements too. I realised that I was not stupid. The man was not only gifting a car but also freedom to his wife. Although it should have shocked me, but rather, I found it very familiar and relatable. All it does was that it made me ask a very basic question, “Are women not born free just like men in Independent India?” If yes, then why do their freedom requires approval from their fathers or husbands?
Today, every other ad in India portrays a modern woman. She is depicted as educated and working who wears modern clothes and speaks English. But at the core, she is just like the oppressed traditional Indian woman with a shy nature who knows how to cook mouth-watering food and despite being tired of office work, completes all household chores.
The advertisements are not the problem but society itself is. In the name of social order, it has exploited women for ages. Though the ads try hard to show the idealistic side of society, they cannot put the patriarchy aside completely, as it will potentially downgrade their business.
These advertisements target the educated middle class, which claims to be very progressive towards changing the norms of patriarchal society. But modern families too have domestic violence and keep women out of major decisions of the household. Since childhood, discrimination against women is normalised in almost every house in such a way that till their adulthood, women accept it naturally and later force it upon their daughters too. If some educated women try to go against the patriarchal society, they are discouraged. Family members and relatives taunt them for being what they are and try to establish them as fools or sinners. As a result, modern women suffers from a great deal of depression.
One day, when someone asked why she did all the work, a working woman replied, “If I would not do the cleaning and maintenance of house, then who will? If I stop it, nobody will and at the end of the day, I will be the one doing it.”
Despite working outside home and contributing to the family’s income, why only women are expected to maintain a house alone. I do not think that it is her innate duty, then why families and society fail to acknowledge their right as an equal human? Why daughters, mothers, sisters, wives and aunts are not allowed to live their lives on their own terms and conditions? If a woman wants to be independent, why is she oppressed by her family? When women are harassed, why are they forced to make compromises, despite doing nothing wrong? Why are only girls taught appropriate social behaviour and boys are left free to do whatever they want?
The day we will be able to answer all these questions after true realisation and start understanding women as equal human beings, then humanity will win. It would be the most celebrated day in human history. It would mark the beginning of a golden chapter of humanity.
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