Gender Equality: reality or fantasy?

From  “I’ll have to ask my father” to “I’ll have to ask my husband” these lines perfectly summarise almost every other Indian girl’s life.

From ‘Parent’s paradise’ to ‘In- law’s home’

From “You have to go to an unknown house” to “she has come from an unknown house” 

we girls have almost nothing to call our own.

Do we have our individuality?

The only thing people associate with women is beauty.

It’s not that we don’t like being beautiful but it’s just that there is more to us than mere looks.

We have dreams that unfortunately remain dreams

We have thoughts and ideas that remain unexpressed           

We have a personality that remains suppressed 

Are we even allowed to express?

We are expected to study not because we need to but, only to keep up to the family’s name or to attract a good spouse

We are expected to cook in the kitchen, not to satisfy our hunger but to satisfy other’s taste buds

We are expected to dress up not because we want to but, because we need to get good proposals.

We are expected to fulfill every expectation of the society without expecting to be treated equally.

Because gender equality is nothing but a distant dream.

Adams want their Eves to earn but ouch! it hurts their ego when they earn more than them.

The so called progressive society likes women when they are different but then hates them for being different.

Are we really treated more than just objects?

Success is judged on the basis of a person’s earning but 

oh! No I am a girl. 

My success will be judged on how much my man earns. 

And that is why I inspite of being educated, abled, intelligent, skilled, talented, proficient wistfully need to depend upon the menfolk to shop, eat, dress, party, study & even health care

Do we really have individualism?

I want to be an athlete but You’re a girl you can’t 

May I know who decides that?

You’re a girl, you are born to talk, shop and gossip but 

May I know who stated that?

You’re a girl, you must love make up right?

But may I know who conjectured that?

You can’t do this, you can’t do that

Why?

 because you’re a girl 

but will someone please tell me who decides that?

So let us let the bird fly

The dreams breathe live and turn a reality and not just a ‘what if’

-Rushda Shamsi