A World Free From the Throngs of Patriarchy

‘’In a world that is accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression’’ - Franklin Leonard

We all know that our society is deeply entangled in the webs of patriarchy. Patriarchy is so deep-seated and so normalized that most of us are oblivious of its existence. Patriarchy has far-reaching consequences, beyond the realms of our imagination, and once you wake up to it, you can barely go back to sleep! You realize that patriarchy has marked its territory everywhere and once that enlightenment hits you, you simply cannot ignore it.  Any attempts to diverge from the patriarchal norms is always seen as a threat by the society.

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Have you ever wondered what a world without patriarchy would be like? I am sure you must have! Here’s my idea of a world that is free from the shackles of patriarchy.

1. Women wouldn’t be objectified.

Women’s body wouldn’t be sexualized to the point that they live in constant anxiety about someone violating their personal boundaries. A woman who chooses to move around in a pair of shorts wouldn’t be seen an attention seeker or having loose morals, but somebody who just likes to wear shorts. Women wouldn’t have to schedule their outings based on the times of the day and stay in the confines on their homes once dusk hits. 

2. Pati wouldn’t be Parmeshwar ( Husband wouldn’t be equated to God)

Husbands would be seen as human and not divine beings. There would be mutual respect between the partners and respect wouldn’t mean putting the man on a pedestal or worshipping the ground he walks on or constantly being at his service. The men would be as accountable to do home chores as much as the woman and caring for his off-springs wouldn’t be termed baby sitting, but nurturing, and looked at as an integral part of his paternal duties.

3. Menstruation wouldn’t be a Taboo!

Menstruating women wouldn’t be seen as impure or inauspicious but as people going through a very natural phenomenon that is the reason for humanity’s existence! Women would be allowed to go about their normal life and not be boycotted or shamed for something that is nobody’s business other than the person going through it.

4. Independent women 

Women wouldn’t be seen as a burden or a responsibility that is transferred from one male authority to another. Women would be educated and made financially independent and not conditioned to feel dependent on a man for her existence. This financial independence would lead  her to live life on her own terms rather than being a puppet at someone else’s hands. 

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5. No gender norms

Men wouldn’t have to be breadwinners and women wouldn’t have to be caretakers by default. House-husbands would as much be acceptable as house-wives and men wouldn’t consider it a threat to their ‘masculinity’ to have their wife earn while they choose to be a stay at home father/husband. 

These are some excerpts from the world of my dreams, where all genders coexist in harmony and nobody is above or below and everyone has the freedom to be their own person without being pressurized to abide by a set of norms thrusted upon them since birth. 

A Start in the Right Direction

I was always passionate about writing but I was fairly oblivious about the possibility of making it a career. After falling prey to conventions and  dabbling in multiple areas like psychology and pure sciences, I realized that it was writing that truly made my heart happy. There was absolutely nothing that gave me a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment like writing.  As Paulo Coelho's famous saying goes, '' 

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”  - Paulo Coelho. 

I believe that me joining this course was the result of the universe conspiring. I had set foot into the content writing space very abruptly, showing up in a very impromptu manner for an interview and getting selected for a job that I had no clue about. Working there was my first brush with professional writing. I did gather some valuable pearls of wisdom through my experience, but there was a lot of questions still lingering  in my mind. 

A month ago, I decided to do freelancing and registered for some content writing sites. I had the drive in me but what was lacking was that nudge in the right direction. This workshop did exactly that for me; it gave me direction. When Rumi said, what you seek is seeking you, he was right. 

I would always regard Content Vidya's Uma Madhavi as my first mentor in this field. I was hit with a terrible writer's block for a long time and whenever I sat to write, I would begin over-scrutinizing every word and feeling dejected in the process and finally giving up altogether. When Uma Madhavi ma'am said that the best way to take the pressure off and write authentically is to imagine that you are writing for a particular person and not an audience, It really echoed with me. 

This course encapsulated everything I needed to know about content writing ranging from the basics like the process, the different styles and categories of writing. I also got familiarized with the important tools and strategies. I was introduced to the world of copywriting and various other career options within the field. Even though there were only 5 sessions, they were all charted really well encompassing all the important topics.

Through this course, I also got to know myself better, by discovering my niche. I also learnt valuable blogging lessons and how make money out of my writing skills. 

The biggest highlight of this course was the assignments after each session, which encouraged us to put our learnings into practice and apply all of what we learnt from time to time. The course design is worthy of appreciation for its fine attention to detail and its precision and lucidity. 

Last but not the least, I thank Uma Madhavi ma'am whose exceptional skills and experience in the field reflected in her sessions. Her wisdom and  drive has definitely rubbed off on me and given me an all new motivation to delve deeper into the field and make a mark of my own. Thank you ma'am. :)

''A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step''- Chinese Proverb.