Challenging Gendered Dogmas

The role of selective morality in breeding the gender bias.

For years now, we have been taught the same topic for a major part of our school life: gender equality. But this concept has gone against the dogmas- the “unquestionable” truths our religion and culture confer. These dogmas are supposed to help build communities by fostering a sense of unity within, but they often take a turn for the worse when they direct the wrong message to a wider audience. This is exactly what has been happening in India for decades now.  

There is not a page in The Vedas, The Upanishads, The Ramayana, The Mahabharat, The Bhagavat Gita that states women as inferior beings. But the public has always used women as animals using religion to justify their abhorrent actions. Why do they call it “malicious” when a woman chooses to kill her husband out of spite; but they don’t hesitate to call it “culture" if a man does the same over dowry?

I am not stating that these actions are reasonable reactions.  I am simply trying to shed light on the double standards set by our society. Women are conditioned from the tender stages of adolescence of their life to remain “innocent” and polite. They are taught to cook before they complete their studies; whereas men don’t know how to do basic household activities for the majority of their lives.

These discriminatory teachings are one of the reasons that account for the inability in most women to stand up against the abuse they have to go through. As the generation of tomorrow, it is our task to unmask these hypocritical morals. It is our duty to change the mindset of the people on a large scale and it is not a task to be done alone.

Kanishka Nair