Strength and Weakness are general qualities, both of which everyone possesses in different measures. However, a lot of thought processes have made them seem like they are gender-specific.
Talk of strength and it is most likely that a male figure will come to mind. Similarly, mention weakness and a female is what is likely to come to mind.
If a woman desires to join the Armed Forces, the first question she is likely to face is how will she be able to cope, with the rigorous training and the discipline. She is often discouraged instead of being encouraged. The common advice would be to ask her to join a more homely profession.
Similarly, men are often taught that not expressing themselves and their feelings is what makes them strong. So being stoic, no matter what is often associated with strength.
This is how we discriminate, either consciously or unconsciously. This discrimination has been carried down from generations and still continues being passed on, like a family heirloom.
Men have been made to suppress themselves and their emotions under the heavy yolk of strength. Women have doubted themselves and have had to let go of many opportunities due to their perceived weakness.
A girl is brought up in her home, and marriage makes her transition to another. A lone girl is expected to adjust to new people, all with different temperaments, a change of habits and routine, and she is supposed to do this without a smile. Women bring life into the world, after nurturing it for 9 months in the womb, doing so as they go by the day. Women put up with prejudices, unequal opportunity, and a pay gap. Discrimination at work and at home. They juggle so many roles without a thought. Yet women are considered to be weak.
Men are ‘supposed’ to be the bread earners of the house. Has anyone ever thought to ask a man if they want to be, or do they have other dreams? Men are supposed to stick to getting an education that gets them a well-paying job and professions that bring them a paycheck at the end of every month. What if a man wants to be a painter or a writer? what if he wants to stay home and run the house and let his mother/sister/wife work? Then the only thing he can expect to be is the butt of all jokes and called weak.
This discrimination is what causes the breakdown of emotional intelligence, where men and women are forced to function as society expects them to.
Just because something has continued for so long, doesn’t mean it has to or should. Let us change this old-fashioned perception of strength and weakness. Let us see strength and weakness as qualities. Let us see a man and a woman as individuals.
A change in thought brings a change in society. We are the people who make up ‘society’ so let this start this change, one thought at a time.
Last year my choice of topic for Cause a Chatter was Mental Health, a cause very close to my heart. This year I choose to write on and highlight ‘Discrimination’. Through my posts, I hope to create awareness and nudge the conscience of my readers.
Blogchatter has chosen Inclusivity as the overall theme for 2022. Let us all understand this word, put it to use, and help make the world a more inclusive place where everyone is respected and everyone matters.
This is my 2nd post for #CauseAChatter a campaign with Blogchatter.
You can read my 1st post here
I chose #Discrimination as my topic and will be writing a post a month on this topic.
Well put and true.
Social conditioning is so deep rooted.
Thank you, Purvi.