Opinion: Speak Up, Ladies! Bust The Sati Savitri Myth

What is worse than realising the truth and being forced to move on with lies? Every single day thousands of women are being bullied, tortured, harassed, abused and objectified. And the saddest fact is that they are made to believe that this is “common” and "normal."

It is the “duty” of the women to look after the family, to take care of the children, to be obedient and to be silent, because, why not! God has made women to do all these. What else is the duty of woman? When anyone questions this they become “sinners.” Feminism has become a term at least among a few youngsters as a synonym of sin. Women shouldn't raise their voice. If they do raise their voice, they will be attacked by the protectors of the patriarchy. The saddest fact is there are a number of women who speaks against women.

A person obviously is the product of the society. The movies they watch, the books they read & the people they communicate influence them. That moulds them.

A person obviously is the product of the society. The movies they watch, the books they read & the people they communicate influence them. That moulds them. Right from the childhood the discrimination begins, when boys are given toy cars to play with, while girls are given kitchen sets. When children makes sexist comments (which they might have heard from some movie or advertisements or even from their parents), parents consider it as a “joke.” In schools this discrimination continues and it will be ingrained in their mind forever. Patriarchy for sure is penetrating the minds of innocent kids knowingly and unknowingly.

What about movies? A hero to protect the heroine! The hero need not be good looking, but the heroine must be fair, have a sexy body, and even have long hair. This is pure injustice! Abusing women is glorified in films. These movies are celebrated, enjoyed and go on to become huge successes. Whether it is Mollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood, Bollywood and even Hollywood the formulae is the same!

Advertisements are the worst, look at how even an ad campaign for a fruit juice; a woman's body is objectified. How a good woman should be is decided by these advertisements.

Where is the role of woman in politics? Do women even get the chance to cast their votes? A woman mostly becomes a puppet in the hands of men.

When some actresses of the Malyalam film industry made their voice heard, they were bullied and suppressed but yet their voice could not be silenced.

This needs to change. We should speak up!

When some actresses of the Malyalam film industry made their voice heard, they were bullied and suppressed but yet their voice could not be silenced. In spite of challenges they are facing, they are standing together for themselves and for each other. Yes! We can do that. Nobody can suppress anyone forever. It has to end and it will.

When we abolish patriarchy from the society, both women and men can enjoy the benefits. Benefits like when a woman is given the freedom to be bold, to ride a bike, accept the fact that she can't cook, a man is given the freedom to cry, to dress up and to express themselves.

It is time to speak up. We have realised that we are being exploited, our freedom has been taken by others, we shouldn't let it just pass. Speak up! Ask for your rights. Question whomever you want. Do not ever encourage patriarchy and its norms. Let us speak for ourselves, for each other, for our coming generation. We should speak up!

Views are the author's own