Common Nonsense - Gender Bias

"Common Nonsense" is the phrase that came to my mind, when i was pondering about most of the common practices we are still following in our long running patriarchal society. Like an average netizen I instantly googled the phrase "Common Non-sense," to know whether its used commonly or not. It came out that there is a book by that phrase about some guy's biography and a website, but otherwise not common.

I have only recently started putting my thoughts on paper or rather on a digital screen. I can't say whether I got any better or worse in anyway(may be you can). But I am not going to stop with all these thoughts circling in my head. This seems to be at the least a small temporary relief.

We are in modern era, equal opportunities for men and women. Women have already reached the most powerful posts in the country.We have women CEOs, Women entrepreneurs and even women Chief Ministers. We hear these comments daily about the all-round progress that was brought up in the lifestyle of women.

But, after reading this piece from NewsLaundry, which has no surprises for any body living in our self-inflicted society, about the common practices of discriminating women, each one of us will definitely be relating to our own part in this humiliation, knowingly or unknowingly. And they qualify to be termed as common non-sense.

As a society, are we i.e., both men and women, treating our women equal to men? Are we treating a baby boy same as a baby girl at birth? Or during their childhood? Adolescence? Or even after being an adult? During marriage? After marriage? No. Never. We show discrimination at each and every step.

We show discrimination in celebrating their birth, in buying them toys during childhood. We make girls accustomed to do household things while leaving boys to themselves during their teenage. There is an example of a grandmother who reacts contrastingly, when she sees her grand-son shaking his legs sitting in a chair and when her grand-daughter does the same. It's only a small example of how inferior women feel of themselves.  Bluntly put, it's a systematic brain wash that's still going on from generation to generation.

And we all know about the traditional act of male chauvinism that takes place during the marriage. Man tying a 'Mangal Sutra,' a supposedly sacred thread around the woman's neck, as a process of taking responsibility of her as in what? Is marriage still being seen as transferring responsibility of a woman to a man? If not, Why are we still going through this process? Will any man ever be comfortable with it, if the same is done to him?, including the acts like touching wife's feet, etc.

Isn't this kind of unequal treatment of society is what making women feel inferior to men and men, superior to women, causing the horrific crimes that are under scanner nationwide in the present times. Are we developing our social norms along with our development in other fields? Is it too early to expect such change? Do we need to wait till generations after generations to see that change? Can it be done in one generation if young people won't bow down to pressures to follow this common non-sense? I have nothing but hope.