For Overturning Gender Stereotyping

With traditions like "Rakshabandhan," in which a sister ties a rakhi (a band) on her brother's arms to ask for protection, and marriages where the idea of "kanyadaan" (donating the daughter) is still prevalent, women are generally raised in India to believe that their security lies in deference to the men in the family.

GENDER ROLE STEROTYPING

The role and status of women in India is a debated topic even today. Today, women are aware of their rights and the inequalities they suffer from. Women are an under-utilized "resource" for combating poverty and violence everywhere in the world. Men have lost sight of their potential far too often in stable times, despite the fact that it has often been made very evident in trying situations (global wars, independence movements).

When we speak of gender roles, these are a set of cultural norms that are presented as behavioral guidelines of dos and don'ts based on an individual's ascribed gender. These guidelines pass for expectations and obligations that one must accept and fulfil in order for society to function well. These rules sound like "girls should learn how to cook", "boys should not cry", "girls should dress modestly". These rules severely limit personal autonomy and reinforce the unequal power dynamics between the genders, which support gender discrimination. According to their designated gender, one cannot categorise people into only one category as "earners."

Unfortunately, the underlying societal narrative that has been transmitted is that men are protectors/providers and women are givers/supporters. This story has given rise to toxic masculinity, misogyny, sexism, and has caused women to be marginalised. It promotes ideals like the belief that men should be ambitious and psychically powerful, while women should stay at home and be submissive. Gender roles have thus become ingrained in our society's collective, global, and cultural conscience. Every gender is now institutionalised to the extent that they are restricted to gender roles in both the workplace and public life. This notion needs to be seriously rethought because it not only excludes genders other than male and female but also creates unattainable standards that no one can meet. Gender roles are strongly influenced by performance and gender identity.

Despite the fact that no one may be discriminated against because of their gender, as modern constitutions around the world officially indicate, there is still a long way to go in terms of culturally putting this into practise. Gender inequality and notions of gender-appropriate behaviour are heavily influenced by cultural institutions in India, particularly those of patrilineality (inheritance through male descendants) and patrilocality (married couples living with or close to the husband's parents). Poorer outcomes for daughters are associated with culturally engrained parental preferences for sons, which stem from their significance as carers for parents in old age. The ideal and acceptable cultural role of a woman in India is a contentious topic that is hardly ever evaluated in unison because religious myths and traditional attitudes define virtues and vices and these in turn condition popular imagination to form the social culture.

Women often find themselves subjected to a family-imposed ideal of priority skill sets to work on, which in turn shapes them to cater to the requirements of a chauvinistic marriage market rather than a job market, in addition to the lack of time they have after caring for others to pursue income-generating skills and active careers. With traditions like "Rakshabandhan," in which a sister ties a rakhi (a band) on her brother's arms to ask for protection, and marriages where the idea of "kanyadaan" (donating the daughter) is still prevalent, women are generally raised in India to believe that their security lies in deference to the men in the family.

But why do women still experience these social attitudes despite all the progressive ideas defining the concept of the country? Surprisingly, an Indian family, as a unit, holds the key. It is interesting to observe the diverse set of values that are instilled in a boy and a girl from an early age in an Indian family (in general). The girl is instructed to act more timidly, submissively, and obediently, and in some circumstances is even made to believe that her sole aspirations are to be a decent wife, mother, and housewife (the ideal being one who does not raise her voice). She is trained to favour gendered stereotypes for vocations like "teacher," "nurse," etc., even in situations when she is offered the opportunity to pursue education beyond high school and graduate college or university.

Too frequently, women's roles in Indian society are seen as a kind of responsibility. They are viewed as individuals who, at certain points in their lives, require maintenance and care. Every person who experiences these preconceptions and decides to challenge them is significantly impacted.

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