Essay

“A gender-equal society would be where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone
can be themselves.” - Gloria Steinem.

“Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal
ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic
participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations,
and needs equally, regardless of gender. Gender equality is the goal, while gender neutrality
and gender equities are practices and ways of thinking that help in achieving the goal.
In 2017, the global movement for gender equality did not incorporate the proposition of
genders besides women and men, or gender identities outside of the gender binary.”
Goal 5 and Goal 10, which are Gender Equality and Reduced Inequality, respectively, go
hand in hand, Achieving gender equality and reduced inequalities have been, are important
goals in SDGs of the UN which is very much justified. As to create a better and sustainable
environment we all need to work together irrespective of our gender(s).
Gender discrimination and injustice have prolonged worldwide, stereotypes like a woman
should dress feminine and act politely whereas, a man needs to dress masculine and act
strong, men cannot cry and women always cry, boys shouldn’t like the color pink and how
can a girl not like the color pink, men should act as providers of the family while women
should take care of domestic work only, and many more stereotypes. While these things are
just choices and should be followed only if a person feels like, they are not treated as one, if a
person does not follow these stereotypical norms they are treated as an outcast, are looked
down upon by their family and society, and are even considered as a disgrace.
In India too, these stereotypical practices are followed except in a more devastating way. A
survey conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation has ranked India as the world's most
dangerous country for women. Practices and crimes like patriarchy, dowry, child marriages,
rapes, female foeticide are happening at an alarming rate. “The Equal Remuneration Act,
1976, the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, the NREGA, 2005, the Prenatal Diagnostic
Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, the Dowry Prohibition Act,
1961 and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 are some of the laws related to women
empowerment in India.” In 2019, India recorded “an average of 87 rape cases daily”, almost
“20 dowry death cases per day are reported on an average in the country” according to a
survey conveyed in April 2020. Laws are made but not followed, moreover, these criminals
aren’t even strictly punished.
Men too have to act within these gender traditions, they should always wear shirts and pants
or the clothes approved by the society, they are considered the ‘head’ of the family and
should be providers to the family, they shouldn’t wear colors like pink or purple, Men
shouldn’t cry, at least not in front of anyone, they should always act bold, they have to have a
beard and a lot more meaningless customs. If they don’t act according to these traditions then
they are being ‘weak’, ‘feminine’ or ‘girly’ and that is considered a shame.
If India stops inequality from rising further, it could end extreme poverty for 90 million
people, and if it further reduces it by 36%, it could virtually eliminate extreme poverty. If
schools and families in India show even 5% of strictness and teach the boy child, how to
respect and have basic human ethics, this place would be 75% better if not 90%. A person
should and can like or wear colors and clothes they feel good in. Makeup and accessories can
be worn by anyone notwithstanding the gender they belong to.
Quality education plays an important role, active efforts must be made to tackle gender-
stereotype that limit schooling. Teaching self-defense and primary life skills like cooking,
sewing, etc should not be made a girl thing but a basic human thing. Knowledge about
menstruation and personal hygiene must be given to both genders.
I often don’t see people encouraging women about being serious about the career they want
to pursue and become independent, why? Because they are going to get married anyway
furthermore they don’t ‘belong’ at work but are meant to stay at home and take care of the
family only? No. Families should teach them to prioritize their self-worth, a career, and to
become independent first and then think about anything else.
Strict actions towards criminals and following of laws should be taken.
These traditions and stereotypes may not seem valid enough to some to be considered a
problem but are a root cause for crimes and suicides. We mustn’t blame society for this as we
collectively are known as society. It is now time that we take steps to decrease and stop these
social evils to fulfill two of the salient UN Sustainable Development Goals and take a step
towards a better world. We need not be an activist or belong to a particular profession to stop
them but can do the same simply by educating people around us but firstly educating
ourselves because it is indeed true that “you have to be the change that you wish to see in the
world ” - Mahatma Gandhi.

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“A gender-equal society would be where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone

can be themselves.” - Gloria Steinem.

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