As our country woke up to the shocking news of brutal gang rape and murder of a 27-year-old veterinarian in Hyderabad, many netizens are expressing their outrage on internet platforms.
Recently, one such netizen shared a post on the internet that caught our attention and we feel it needs to be read by everyone. This post calls out how gender-biased parenting i.e. raising our daughters with different expectations than that of sons, could be one of the major reasons why women of our country couldn’t feel safe.
While sharing her powerful post, Sonali Chopra mentioned:
“I want to talk about our cultural upbringing – if we don’t raise our voice now, then when?
I have a problem with every mother that doesn’t set a curfew for her son, but has one for her daughter. If your upbringing teaches your kids that boys are different to girls & girls aren’t allowed to do the things boys are – then I’m sorry but you’re doing something wrong as a parent.
I’ve heard parents say “but girls get pregnant/raped, boys don’t” – men are the ones that are committing the rape or equally part of the pregnancy, so why treat them different? Your son can’t get someone else’s daughter pregnant? Then people say, “her parents shouldn’t have let her be out at that hour”… Why? Why was your son out? Is this why we give birth to women so you can lock them up post 9pm & let ‘boys be boys’? Boys are out late at night ALL the time & parents aren’t panicking sitting at home thinking ‘oh god, I hope he doesn’t rape someone’ – But you lock your girls in like it’s her fault. You cage women in the name of safety. You want her to be safe? Take responsibility for how you’re shaping this society – then give me this patriotic bulshit.
Girls shouldn’t drink. Girls shouldn’t party. Girls shouldn’t work late. Girls shouldn’t wear short clothes.
Families say this all the fucking time. Where do you think men get the idea that these women need to be “taught a lesson”? Upbringing.
Parents, mine & yours – differentiate between boys & girls from the time we’re born.
Your child’s gender shouldn’t decide their freedom. The sooner parents realise that teaching their sons that their sisters can’t do the same things because she’s a girl – IS the problem with our country.
STOP putting that thought in your child’s head. It’s wrong. Just stop.
There’s no point in doing peace rally’s & candle march if you go home & treat your kids differently based on their gender.
Killing every rapist is not the answer. How many will you kill? How many will go to jail or get murdered? There will be more. Stop trying to quick fix everything. Give your children the right education. The right up bringing.
Stop being gender biased.Women, all over our country, don’t deserve this.”
You can read her complete post here.
At IFORHER, we are proud of all parents who have raised their son with similar expectations as that of their daughters. It is high time our society also starts talking about educating men about treating women with respect and equality.
If you are one of those inspiring parents who has adopted gender-neutral parenting for your child, please share your story so that we can celebrate it with our audience. Your story can inspire many others to make a difference in our society.
