The day I realized I’m a girl…
Peeping at the memory lane through today’s window pane makes me see a blurred world of childhood! It was a different and carefree time when being a male or a female din’t matter! As far as I remember there was hardly any concern about the differences between boys and girls. It was all pleasant and fable-like!
Time passed rather speedily, each day bubbling with doubts and queries. It was a gradual realization of being a female as understanding of life grew. Boys were never considered as totally different beings yet a distance was to be maintained. During that amazing time there was hardly any difference between everyday sports for both sexes and I enjoyed cricket, roaming outside with a bunch of friends, being passionate for cycling and all sorts of adventurous activities. Then arrived puberty and the hearing of most repetitive phrase ‘don’t do this or that, you’re big now’, followed by the realization of terrifying male gaze, eve-teasing, etc. Shocking it was to find the old world suddenly changed and strange. Moving alone and aimlessly outside the four walls created a sense of guilt and was frowned at by society. The wide gap was created between the tasks to be done by boys and girls. Cultural and social stereotypes created great differences between the two sexes. Adolescence came and increased the stress of most minds. Reaching adulthood was a weird relief. Society already clarified the categories of women and that the notion of respect and honour highly depended on a woman’s conduct. If dressed in short clothes, she was a slut. If she wore make-up, it was proper for men to gaze at her. If she was seen outside after sunset, she deserved to be raped. Being a female was enough to be chained in ordinances and patriarchal rules. There came a time in life when infinite questions twinkled in mind’s sky, many circling around yet. It was a thing to wonder why men were allowed to wander whole night and yet left unquestioned, while working women tread the streets at night with a shudder and fear to be molested anytime. Even daylight is no safer. Being a female seems to be associated with the idea of being vulnerable to male domination. Hopeful of a positive change, I believe in the prevailing of equality between men and women and a mutual sense of respect towards all. Why men must categorize people as marginalized or dominant when all are definitely equal in the eyes of God? I believe that someday in future, a girl child’s birth shall be celebrated profoundly and she will remain safe all her life with freedom to choose her likes.
The day I realized I’m a female arrived with plentiful queries and days following it answered them one by one. Indeed, being a female is not just about struggles, but about a great responsibility to beautify the universe with hope, love and long-lasting charm. Time cured all timidity and anxieties. Today’s realization of being a female, blossoms an innocent hope of venturing into the so called men’s world and succeeding in creating a special identity. ———— About the Author: This article is contributed by Anam Fatima, our intern.
