HYDERABAD: Yesterday was a day when men sent lovely messages to female family members and girl friends, employers sent greeting cards and roses to their female staff, when your Facebook page was filled with greetings. Yes, it was International Women’s Day, a day when you are made to believe you are special because you are a female – nevermind if the 364 other days you are bashed for the very same reason. Thanks to the kind of promotion done for Women’s Day, even if you are a chauvinist you won’t be able to forget it.
The question however is not whether you are sexist or not, the question is does it satiate the collective consciousness of the society to dedicate one day to the fairer and presumed weaker sex? Unarguably she needs every day to be her’s. But as wars of equality and ‘more rights for women’ continue to rage, few sensible souls, in their low-toned voices have suggested making young males better men of tomorrow and thus, making every day safe for women. City Express caught up with few denizens to know how they would like to rear their children.
Dr Srividya Sivakumar, Poet and columnist
The question needs to start with not thinking of bringing up a son and bringing up a daughter. It should be about bringing up children. That said, this is not a struggle for equality. It is for acceptance. Being able to do what your heart desires and what you’re able to. Regardless of whether you’re a boy or a girl. I also believe that values are caught, not taught. If a child sees mutual respect between parents , he or she is bound to learn that too.
Linda Ashok, Poetry curator
The way to a good upbringing is not to differentiate between a girl child and a boy child. There are no different rules exclusive to the upbringing of either of these genders. The key is not to harm, damage, usurp, encroach anything or anybody. The parents should also respect each other and people in their community to enable their children to pick up attributes like respect.
Ashwin Athrey, Btech student
That girls are equal is needed to be taught to children from an early age. Both parents at home and teachers at school are respinsible for this. The question that girls need to be made more confidence will not arise at all if the thought that they are lesser than boys is not planted in their heads.
Kartik Valipay, Doctor
For me equality is of paramount importance. It won’t matter to me if I have a son or a daughter because both will be taught to respect all. And you can’t inculcate respect. It comes from liberal environment. As for the girl child, she should be brought up in an environment of equal opportunity. While such an environment, in the broader sense, will not be available in our country for few years, in the smaller scale, I feel this has already begun.
Harshita Annam, BTech student
A woman is an epitome of love and care and hence it is important to bring her up with love. Parents play a major role in their daughter’s life, and the daughter moulds her life as per their wishes. If parents treat their daughters as friends there is no way a daughter will let her parents down.
Ayesha Iffat, Psychologist
I believe if we want our sons to respect women, they should be taught so right from their childhood. Even if he is the younger one, ask him to hold the door for his sister, teach him to respect all women he sees, tell him that its not a good thing to stare at someone no matter how nice or different they are. I believe change starts at home. So does respect.
Teach your little girl to respect herself, accept and appreciate herself, her body, her image, teach her to accept others too. Teach her to stand up for herself and admit when she is wrong, teach her that she can achieve all that she wants only if she works for it. Teach her that no one can make her feel better but herself and to be a better person than she was yesterday.
Anita Kurilla, IT professional
Unless we believe in something, we can not impose the same on others. So the onus lies on parents who have to believe that both girls and boys are equal and should be treated equally at home. Girls should be given a sense of confidence that they can do everything that a boy can.