A nation rich with culture and heritage and that accords tremendous respect and honour for women is a gender-critical country today, whose record on gender equality is desolate. While it impacts the lives of both men and women, statistically, it is the girls who suffer more. From textbooks to the cinema, books to media, and family to society, there is some form of inequality portrayed everywhere, and though at times, it is astutely disregarded, there are several instances when disparity blatantly stares at our faces.
From as basic as health, safety, and education, to the greater hierarchy of needs like economic, social, and political aspects, women endure discrimination in every sector. The struggle begins right in the womb with the threat of female foeticide to the continued battle of the higher death rate of girls in the primary age. And the tussle carries on with the girl child being more likely to drop out of school or being denied the basic right to education altogether. Facing unequal opportunities in adolescence in terms of freedom, choices, self-worth, and decision-making, to the carried forward gender barriers in adulthood at home or work front, the deeply entrenched patriarchal structure, staunch beliefs, traditions, and views prevent women from enjoying their voice and power on a larger scale and to fully utilize their potential.
Even with the awareness of women’s empowerment and feminism in full swing, and many women leaders paving the way to success, there are still evils like child marriage, the dowry system, sexual harassment, teenage pregnancy, exploitation, and violence, to name a few, prevalent in our society at various strata in different layers. Whereas there are several respites from the brunt of the pressing issue of gender inequalities, like the legislative enactments regarding marriages, asset inheritance, dowry, etc., government campaigns like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, and several social awareness programs, the alternatively rising concern of a large segment of women inadvertently getting trapped in the viciousness of pseudo feminism is yet another problem area.
With all the hue and cry of empowering women, feminism, and social awareness programs, are we really headed towards a collectively progressive mindset or gradually tipping the scales to the other side of imbalance in the societal setup? While overcoming the gender gap and becoming a part of the global drift towards attaining a well-balanced, fully developed, and iteratively evolved society is an assurance for hope and long-term sustainability, introspective hindsight free from the ‘wrath of the rebel’ approach is of utmost significance for attaining true self-sufficiency of women. One that is devoid of male toxicity as much as it is bereft of ‘fake feminism’. One that is devoid of tainting the intent of the movement by lashing out at the male counterpart at large and carrying a ‘colour of misandry’. One that does not incline towards glorifying unhealthy features of society and lifestyle in a superficial attempt to portray feminism and equality. One that is bereft of the misinterpretation of the concept by upsetting the balance towards either gender becoming the centre of existence, while the other is a mere accessory.
In the frangible wave of establishing political, economic, personal, and social equality among both men and women, the world doesn’t need an era of ‘feminazis’ who stray from the true meaning of feminism and are constantly at daggers drawn to find fault and injustice even when there is none.
Valuing girls with changed perceptions, mobilizing sectors of society towards progress-driven goals, focused investment in self-reliance, education, and freedom, and specifically tailored programs to suit the needs of girls and the right to decision-making and voicing their challenges in daily life, will certainly lead to a balanced society with positive mind frames. Beyond the glory of being honoured and adorned, women simply aim to be treated equally in all walks of life, earning respect along the way, a respect that is mutual and involves the entire society rather than charging a segment of the population.
About the Columnist
An HR-turned-Author, proud winner of ‘Top 50 Indian Icon Awards 2025’, Columnist, TEDx Speaker, Speaker (IITs, IIMs), The Times of India Write India Winner, Jyoti Jha has authored, edited, and translated several books in both English and Hindi. Awarded ‘Vidya Vachaspati’ and ‘Dr Shanti Jain Smriti Samman’, ‘Iconic Authors’, ‘Savitribai Phule Raashtriya Samman’, Judge at IITBHU (Kashiyatra), she has conducted Writing Workshops at IITs and NITs. She is the Chief Coordinator, Let’s Inspire Bihar’s Literary Chapter, and Sr Editor, Today Magazine. Known for her bestselling novella ‘Aanandi’, her writings have been featured and published in international anthologies, prominent media houses, prestigious literary magazines, and journals. Her poem has been appreciated by the Karnataka Sahitya Parishad. To help raise awareness at the very core of a caring society, her latest book, ‘Spectrum and Beyond’, is on autism.
