Recently I saw a video, wherein a woman was thanking her husband for allowing her to pursue her career. This made me sit up and take notice of things that have been going on for eons now – women obligated to seek permission for their own life choices.
Sadly, it still running in our own households as though it’s something normal. However, do Indian women still feel the pressure to seek permission for their professional choices? Well, according to new OkCupid data, an overwhelming 79 percent of Indian women believe that they need their partner’s permission to work. Only 28 percent of these women believe they are free to choose for themselves. Alarming isn’t it?
Since patriarchy is so deeply rooted in Indian society, women who seek the bare minimum from a man are still granted or denied permission. Things that men take for granted, such as obtaining an education, prioritizing a career, or rising to the top of the corporate ladder, remain a privilege for women. In this sense, feminism is nothing but ‘equality between all genders.
As per Shirley Chisholm, former Vice-Chair of the House Democratic Causes, “Tremendous amount of talent is being lost to our society just because such talent wears skirts. Although patriarchal values are gradually losing their grasp, progressives still take pride in giving women “permission” to live their lives.”
Similarly, Sara Cullen, CEO and founder of Daily Gem states, “Find your way from the very beginning, your true north star, and stay connected to it as you evolve and navigate your career.”
Let a woman decide what she wants in her life. Let her decide how high she can fly. Be it pursuing an education in the subject she wants, choosing her career, prioritizing her career, choosing her partner, the choice to marry or not to marry, the choice to have babies or not: everything should be of her choice.
“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored,” states Sheryl Sandberg chief operating officer of Facebook.
Choices like fingerprints are unique. Let the woman do what she feels right for her. It is her right, not your privilege. Establishing an equal partnership in a relationship should become the rule, and women should no longer find it necessary to thank men or society for ‘allowing’ them to make their own decisions.
