Indian Girls On How Parents Discriminate Against Them

The ingrained patriarchy of Indian society has caused statistical and cultural disparities in the lives of Indian women. However, is the modern generation still exposed to such regressive steps behind closed doors? SheThePeople.TV tried to find out through Instagram posts if parents discriminated against girls of the household.

Key Takeaways:

• Parents usually discriminated on accounts of household responsibilities.
• Many girls felt that their brothers were given more liberty.
• Shouldn’t parents try to instill a “sense of responsibility” towards domestic chores in their sons too?
• Many girls who were brought up with no biases found it fortunate and liberating.

Several women said that they were fortunate to be brought up in a family that did not discriminate. It was also mentioned that their parents brought them up proudly as girls rather than “the boy of the house.” Moreover, many girls mentioned that their parents pampered them a lot and helped them pursue their dreams. Moreover, girls who were the only children in their family expressed that they felt empowered for never having being compared or looked down upon.

Also read: Gender Discrimination at Workplace is a Truth, Globally

When women faced discrimination

Various comments showed us that the girls were encouraged to take responsibility for domestic chores while their brothers were not.

“I never got sufficient pocket money, I remember that those days were tough.” one of the comments read.

Also, a few of them showed resistance and questioned this bias in the family. Being a “girl child” they found that they were not able to exercise the liberties that their brothers enjoyed easily.

“I always fought with my parents why only my sister and I had to do these and not my brother, also he was allowed to stay out as long as he wants even late in the night.”

Shaili narrated an incident wherein a mother had put the WiFi favourably in her son’s room. When daughters protested, their mother justified that he needed WiFi for knowledge whereas the girls only wanted it for social media.

One of them even said that she was taught to be subservient to boys. To never fight back her brother because girls are weak and boys were stronger. She further had to share her “chocolates” to come across as the more understanding one.

A lot of them had faced bias in curfews that were sometimes not even defined for their brothers.

A fellow sister said, “He just says that he is going out while I have to take prior permission. Also, he has a later curfew than I have.”

Some even felt that girls are taught to take up responsibilities while boys are given the liberties to spend their leisure time as per their will.

“I am tired of hearing “boys will be boys” even when I asked relevant questions” concluded one.

Do parents need a new perspective?

While parents are making efforts to instill a sense of responsibility, it should be done equally for both the genders. If we want girls protected, wouldn’t it be easier to involve people to help them establish a secure environment? Till when will they convince their daughters that they are being treated differently for their own good? Apparently, some parents of the 21st century could help to tap into concepts of equality.

“I am tired of hearing “boys will be boys” even when I asked relevant questions” concluded one.

Gender inequality is prevalent in larger parts of the country. It has slowed economic growths and denied basic rights to great assets. Controlling lives of women is not the solution but only amplifies the evils of gender discrimination.

Also read: Let Her Be Angry: Use The Transformative Powers Of Rage

Vipashyana Dubey is an intern with SheThePeople.TV