No rotis please!!! How about some money instead?
I was reading the newspaper on Sunday. Yeah! I do that sometimes. LOL!
I was really impressed with this one article by Chetan Bhagat' which spoke about the obsession of our cinemas to create a hype about the homely Indian woman who can be the dutiful housewife and make 'rotis' (Indian Bread) for the husband and his family. He gave the example of the recently released movie called 'cocktail' where the man chooses the homely girl instead of the modern one. It's kinda funny but in his real life, this particular actor's girlfriend has chosen her career over him at this point of time, as the grapevine keeps reporting and he has been very understanding of his lady friend's choice. Guess the movies have to cater to a certain type of audience which still believes that a woman's role is behind her husband and in the kitchen mostly. So the modern girl gets dumped by him. I totally agree with Chetan when he says that such stereotypes are not doing us any good when it comes to being a nation.
But I don't entirely blame men for the creation of these stereotypes related to women. Right from childhood, we are brought up in our conservative societal ways to believe that a man can't do certain stuff like cooking, washing clothes, ironing, washing dishes etc. These are all a woman's area of work and it's reiterated through different socialization processes. Do you remember those textbooks in primary school where the boy always played with the cricket ball and the girl always played with the doll?So many such examples existed in our day to day life. Girls always wore pink and boys always had blue clothing. Girls had to dress up decently in their teens and they had curfew hours or were escorted. In a country where our own political leaders make statements which cite that a woman gets raped or molested because she attracts attention on account of her modern dressing, I don't blame the parents on being overprotective. I get the shivers when my niece goes out in her hip teenage clothes and she's just 13. We feel awkward when our men in the form of the father, brother or husband enter the kitchen or try to help us with our household chores. It's our world. We own that space and are very possessive about it. My mother still can't accept the fact that dad can cook a better chicken curry than her. She thinks it's too oily. LOL! Sister doesn't allow her husband to do the dishes. He's too messy. So dear men, you are lucky. You have understanding woman around you. They just reiterate what you want them to. Servitude type values have been passed on to women from generations together. It's coated with the higher values of love, sacrifice and sharing.
I seriously don't get some men!!! So much insecurity about a working wife? If you think positively about the whole scenario, you have a wife who's backing you in terms of income. In today's time, jobs are unsteady. At least one of the spouses will have a steady job if the other loses the same for some godforsaken reason. If both are earning, why the heck should you care as to who cooks the food for you? It can be a house help. In India, they are available in large numbers if you can pay the requisite monthly salary. So why all this hype about the food cooked by the wife?
I have seen many of my male colleagues appreciating their wives for their achievements at home and at work. It feels so good to hear that. One of my friends has a house help so that his wife does not tire herself too much. So there are some exceptions in this species. Hope still exists for them.
Well... it's time to brush these gender stereotypes under the carpet. We need more examples of equality in relationships and life in general. Wonder when the creator will make those type of enlightened men again! Sigh..am looking for one myself. LOL..Of course, it's not to do the dishes or cook. Ahem..am a firm believer that men are messy and they make more work for you in the kitchen while they are in one. Of course, knowing to do those so called womanly chores would be an added perk which may be utilized during exceptional circumstances only! LOL!!!
Until my next musing....
I was really impressed with this one article by Chetan Bhagat' which spoke about the obsession of our cinemas to create a hype about the homely Indian woman who can be the dutiful housewife and make 'rotis' (Indian Bread) for the husband and his family. He gave the example of the recently released movie called 'cocktail' where the man chooses the homely girl instead of the modern one. It's kinda funny but in his real life, this particular actor's girlfriend has chosen her career over him at this point of time, as the grapevine keeps reporting and he has been very understanding of his lady friend's choice. Guess the movies have to cater to a certain type of audience which still believes that a woman's role is behind her husband and in the kitchen mostly. So the modern girl gets dumped by him. I totally agree with Chetan when he says that such stereotypes are not doing us any good when it comes to being a nation.
But I don't entirely blame men for the creation of these stereotypes related to women. Right from childhood, we are brought up in our conservative societal ways to believe that a man can't do certain stuff like cooking, washing clothes, ironing, washing dishes etc. These are all a woman's area of work and it's reiterated through different socialization processes. Do you remember those textbooks in primary school where the boy always played with the cricket ball and the girl always played with the doll?So many such examples existed in our day to day life. Girls always wore pink and boys always had blue clothing. Girls had to dress up decently in their teens and they had curfew hours or were escorted. In a country where our own political leaders make statements which cite that a woman gets raped or molested because she attracts attention on account of her modern dressing, I don't blame the parents on being overprotective. I get the shivers when my niece goes out in her hip teenage clothes and she's just 13. We feel awkward when our men in the form of the father, brother or husband enter the kitchen or try to help us with our household chores. It's our world. We own that space and are very possessive about it. My mother still can't accept the fact that dad can cook a better chicken curry than her. She thinks it's too oily. LOL! Sister doesn't allow her husband to do the dishes. He's too messy. So dear men, you are lucky. You have understanding woman around you. They just reiterate what you want them to. Servitude type values have been passed on to women from generations together. It's coated with the higher values of love, sacrifice and sharing.
I seriously don't get some men!!! So much insecurity about a working wife? If you think positively about the whole scenario, you have a wife who's backing you in terms of income. In today's time, jobs are unsteady. At least one of the spouses will have a steady job if the other loses the same for some godforsaken reason. If both are earning, why the heck should you care as to who cooks the food for you? It can be a house help. In India, they are available in large numbers if you can pay the requisite monthly salary. So why all this hype about the food cooked by the wife?
I have seen many of my male colleagues appreciating their wives for their achievements at home and at work. It feels so good to hear that. One of my friends has a house help so that his wife does not tire herself too much. So there are some exceptions in this species. Hope still exists for them.
Well... it's time to brush these gender stereotypes under the carpet. We need more examples of equality in relationships and life in general. Wonder when the creator will make those type of enlightened men again! Sigh..am looking for one myself. LOL..Of course, it's not to do the dishes or cook. Ahem..am a firm believer that men are messy and they make more work for you in the kitchen while they are in one. Of course, knowing to do those so called womanly chores would be an added perk which may be utilized during exceptional circumstances only! LOL!!!
Until my next musing....
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