I thoroughly enjoyed reading your discussion (as a silent reader). You guys have raised many valid and thoughtful points on gender inequality and how the so-called modern Indian society has been and is shaped by stereotypical gender roles and differences. Stereotypes mislead the society and it is really a shame because we lose so much.
Personally speaking I have not experienced gender discrimination to such an extent as some of you describe, maybe because I am a boy who was born and raised up in a western country. However, gender discrimination exists everywhere, in all countries, among all kinds of people (whether one is man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or non-believing, black or white, etc.), and in many forms. Women and girls around the world are frequently denied access to an equal education, to employment, to property rights and to financial resources. Violence and physical abuse is an additional way that women are discriminated against. I think it is just that in some places the discrimination is less prevalent or more of an obscure nature compared to the situation in India. I have read somewhere that in India women are discriminated and marginalized at every level of the society whether it is social participation, economic participation, political participation, access to education or access to reproductive health care. And to this gender disparity adds the increasing crime and violence against women. There is no doubt that Indian women face more struggles than women in other societies.
As many of you have rightly pointed out, this is a complicated and never-ending debate. I think we should not draw any conclusions based on what we see and hear in HD because, firstly, it is just a fictional show and secondly and most importantly, this issue is simplified by the writers to such a degree that it is misleading and no longer accurate in representing the real world situation. In real life, both men and women become victims of gender discrimination and this old-fashioned stereotypical thinking, but I cannot argue with the fact that women are most frequently subjected to this kind of unequal treatment or perceptions. We cannot avoid it unless we change our mentality to treat all equal and not to be carried away by our perceptions to form opinions.
I know everything I have said on this sad but true subject has already been said, but I just wanted to share my two cents anyway. :)
Edited by indianfighter - 12 years ago
Arjun
Jhanak
Tum Se Tum Tak
