By:Manmeet Bedi
Social media has become an integral part of Millennial and Gen Z’s daily mundane life.
Like any other millennial in lockdown, I open my Instagram after every 2 minutes of closing the app. Last week while following the same schedule of cursing Corona Virus and all its consequences, I came across a post shared by another “woke” millennial regarding brutality against an 18-year-old boy. The case happened to be an acid attack
on the said boy by a girl who somehow was looking for a sort of companionship with him. Now, I couldn’t verify the credibility of the news but if it’s true, as it can be, we all can agree for once that it was an immature, immoral, brutal and inhumane act done by the said girl. Undoubtedly, vicious and punishable. I did establish that. But what triggered me was the way it was presented. The post said along the words “Ladke ke saath huya, isiliye jaane diya.agar ladki hoti toh sab international news bana dete.” (It happened with a boy that is why everybody has let it go. Had it happened with a girl; it’d have been an international news by now).
Gender Inequality has its roots well established in our culture and society. Most of the times it is promoted through the words- ‘but it is a part of our culture’. Now, you see, I can deal with Gender Inequality, for there are and have been far more gallant intellectuals out there who have always presented their rational points on gender biased societal impact. But what I cannot bring myself to deal with is Insecurity of one gender because its fellow gender is trying to rise above the inequitable treatment against them.
I have seen people (not just men) terrified of being called a Feminist. There is this new trend now a days to be extra woke wherein they do not call themselves a Feminist rather identify with the word Humanitarian in order to fight for everyone’s rights and not just for women.
Now for the welfare of all the nonfeminists, I’d refrain (quite humbly) from calling myself an intellect and provide any opinion based on my personal perspective.
Hence, out of good will, I searched the definition of Humanitarian and it turns out our 21st century God- Google provides the dictionary definition of the said word as “A Humanitarian is a person who seeks to promote human welfare”. That surely doesn’t qualify as a fitting word for equal rights moment.
Fellas, we do not need a word to be logical and kind to every human/living being; all we need is a little sense to knock in our heads, it’s sort of given. The sound argument here to understand is why feminism HAD to come into existence? I do not need to delve into history and remind you of all the inappropriate and inhumane treatment women had to/ still face solely because they were born with different physiology than Men. That is no reason to not provide any human being their right to live on their own terms. How we are born is not our choice but how we want to live surely is. And that is the only statement I want to emphasize on; as nothing else matters. I can provide myriad data and numbers that can prove immense violence against women. I can provide you the wage gaps just because they think a living being with breasts is no more use than to feed and produce kids. But I would not make such arguments. The bottom line is- we need Feminism. Because inequality still exists.
We do have smart devices but not as smart minds around us yet. Along with it we also have to understand the fact that violence against anyone MUST be condemned. It shouldn’t be biased.
Any person regardless of their gender, caste, creed, religion and color must be treated as a human being. Raise your voice against violence and not against your fellow gender who’s just trying to earn their fair share of equality.
(***The writer can be contacted at [email protected])
