#FastForHer . So there is a new trend where Men are being urged to fast along with their wives for “Karva chauth” . It is claimed that it is to show how much their wives mean to them and promotes gender equality .
But I ask you all : Really? Gender Equality ..How?
Here is the way I look it : Karva chauth is a hindu tradition where women fast for the long lives of their husbands , they go to the extent of not even having a drop of water to show their love and dedication for the Man. In our male dominated society customs are made to give ego boost to men and encourage women to sacrifice and this is a shining example of it.
I do not see how this #FastForHer promotes gender equality . It is like saying that
As a woman you anyways Have to go through this suffering , you have no choice because it is your fate for being a woman . I, a man ,on the contrary am free from such bondage , but just to make you “feel” equal, I too will fast for you , going against tradition , such a great Man I am.
How does suffering of two make it better than suffering of one? In an age when people should be talking about removing the taboo around Not keeping karva chauth , we are asking men to jump in too, making it more difficult for a woman who does not want the fast , she can no longer say no due to the compounded guilt.
Many woman keep this fast because otherwise “Log kya kahenge” , that is the what needs to be removed , not compounding that guilt .
Female :Honey , I do not want to keep the fast
Male : Come on baby , I will keep it with you. (Somehow that is supposed to make your suffering less)
Some people claim that it is Feminism …No it is not , feminism talks about equalizing opportunity for men and women, not equalizing suffering .
I am not against women who want to keep a fast , it is their choice and if it gives them satisfaction of any kind , who am I to judge . But if you ask men to keep karva chauth out of guilt , guilt of how much their wife is suffering for them, you open up a Pandora box.
I do not even question the men who keep a fast for their wives, please by all means-go for it, but do not pretend that it uplifts the stature of woman in the society , it does not . it just enforces the expectation that she anyways has to keep it , and by keeping the fast for her ,you basically get more brownie points .
People will not talk about how great your wife is because she kept a fast for you , because it was anyways expected , they will speak about how progressive you are because you too kept it for her. The only reason to keep fast would be that you perhaps get satisfaction out of it or your wife feels good about it , it does not uplift her stature or give her gender equality .
What next ? How else do you want to promote gender equality ? Running around with a weight tied to your abdomen when your wife get’s pregnant? How ill it make it better? If that makes your wife feel better , you have a sadist wife who enjoys your suffering , don’t you think?
Or Demanding that men be paid less to bring them at parity with women employees who are paid less for the same work?Don’t reduce woman’s suffering but increase men’s ..
Come on CB’s(Chetan Bhagat’s) of the world …demand lower pay for your work..because GenderEquality ..Meh
FastForHer ? No Thank you ..
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