How important is it for us to teach our sons to ‘respect women’?
No parent would ever think of teaching their boy how to physically or mentally abuse a girl, yet, crimes against women have increased with time. Since ancient times, we have been hearing that this society is made up of a male-dominated culture. The culture and sense of power and dominance over women contributes to rape.
Know why?
1. You must have always heard this, boys will be boys:
Being a mother of a boy myself, I’ve heard this often. Whenever my son behaves mischievously or aggressively at a big family celebration party, I try to listen to him and correct him. It is important for us to rebuke boys for their bad behavior and lack of control.
2. Boys Can’t Control It
I am fully committed to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and its objective of making the country open defecation-free. That said, either a girl or a boy will have to remain restrained until they find a toilet. But in our country, this rule applies only to women. Men can urinate in the open. Why do it? Well, for starters they can’t control. Secondly, it has a bad effect on your kidneys. Somehow, we forgot that women also have kidneys.
3. Girls need to dress appropriately
When parents talk about girl’s clothes and how they tease eve-teasers by passing lewd comments, children, regardless of gender, begin to believe that teasing is okay in certain situations. There is never an excuse for misbehavior.
4. Etiquette is for girls
As a girl, I also heard this from my grandmother. Whenever a girl yells or misbehaves, she is quickly reminded that neither of these methods will be accepted when she gets married. Therefore he must learn to behave, speak softly and be timid. On the other hand, boys are never taught that they will also get married and learn to behave and act to keep their spouse happy.
5. The boys have no work in the kitchen
Every human being should know how to feed himself or his family regardless of gender. This is a basic life skill and has nothing to do with gender. In fact, many star chefs are men.
6. We still read fairy tales to our daughters
When we read fairy tales like Cinderella, Snow White, etc. we convey the message that our daughters need a knight to rescue them. Be your own hero’ is what we should teach them. Instead read to your daughters and sons about the great works of Madame Curie, Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Margaret Hamilton, and Nancy Wake, and see what wonderful human beings they can become.
7. We swear
There’s nothing wrong with swearing to make out, as long as it’s not centered around a woman. Almost all dirty swears have female origins. We cannot respect gender when we constantly use it to curse.