Gender stereotypes?! It has existed for decades and centuries. Pink or blue? Strong or fragile? The stereotypical projection of gender roles have been drilled into our minds in such a way, that it has become almost impossible for us to detach ourselves from it.
Pink is given dolls as a toy. Blue is given guns. Pink asked to grow their hair long. Blue asked to cut them short. Blue is shown blood in fights, movies and told to be strong. Pink bleeds every month, but are asked to hide it; told shame.Pink asked to do makeup. Blue told to man up.Blue told to stay strong. Pink told to stay pretty. Blue is told, ” This makes a man.” Pink told, ” This makes a girl.”
Every time, a crime happens against a woman, I can hear “Oh, what if it was your daughter, sister or wife?”
What if? What if I’ m not your wife or sister or daughter? What if I’ m sick and tired of being your wife, sister and daughter? Every crime is boiled down to the gender stereotypes. And every crime emerges from the seeds of these stereotypes of gender roles.
A crime is a crime. Being a woman, I’m tired of appealing to your patriarchal sentiments to seek justice. I don’t want safety and equal rights because I’m someone’s sister or wife or daughter. I’m not begging to the feet of your patriarchy to grant me equality. I demand equality because I’m a human being. And women’s rights are human rights.