If you’re a single or 20-something girl living in India then there’s already so much that you have to hear from this society. We are constantly surrounded by people who have the need to say whatever they want about others.
Plus, there are some bizarre notions limited to a woman and her responsibilities towards her relationships, work, home and what not. Along with that, there are tons of expectations that a girl constantly has to meet, without any delays or deferment.
No one wants to believe that a woman is equal to a man in this society, and she could actually dream and achieve similar things, that a man does. However, slowly and steadily, the women and many men too, are changing and moving towards a better future, even when a large portion of the society is constantly trying to pull us back into the mud of regressive thinking.
Here are 8 things that as Indian girls, we all have to constantly have to listen to and some fun answers you can give to those questions.
1. “You can’t cook? How are you going to feed your family?”
Here’s an answer, by ordering or by finding a guy for myself who knows how to cook. There are so many men out there who can’t cook and yet they’re alive, right? So, why can’t a woman be accepted if she doesn’t like to cook food? Trust us, there are a ton of men who love cooking these days and would be happy to feed their loved one.
2. “When are you getting married?”
Probably never and even if I do decide to get married one day, you won’t be invited. Thank you. Sometimes, we just don’t understand why the hell everyone wants us, girls, to get married as soon as we leave our schools? Like seriously, do something beneficial with your time.
3. “Who does not want children?”
A lot of women. Being a female doesn’t mean that one needs to reproduce and give birth or even have motherly instincts. There are so many girls who don’t like kids and are absolutely fine by not wanting to give birth to one too. It’s high time that our society gets okay with it too.
4. “You don’t wax or what?”
Like seriously, why are you even remotely interested in my feminine hygiene? Are you my parlour-wali aunty or what? Because other than that, there’s absolutely no valid reason for why you would want to know about this.
5. “You should dress up more like a girl, no one wants to marry a tomboy.”
How are my marriage prospects affected by the way I choose to dress up. If there’s something that I feel comfortable in then I have all the right in this world to dress up like that. Plus, can someone please explain what does dressing up like a girl actually means?
6. “Your bra strap is showing.”
Well, when would one understand the secret that every woman in this world wears a bra to support their bosoms?? Seriously, when would this great day arrive? While we don’t know about the exact date, there’s just one thing that we can at least hope for, some sense for people who say this.
7. “You’re such a nice girl, how are you even single?”
Well, for starters, maybe because I want to be single. How hard is that to process. Somehow, people have a thinking that once you’re in your 20s, you are definitely dating someone or at least looking for someone. And, if that’s not your plan at all, then god bless you.
8. “Wow! You look nice. Do you have a date with someone special today?”
What happened to the age-old tradition of dressing up for yourself rather than for someone special? Well, okay, it never existed in the first place but when would people start being okay with the habit of dressing up for themselves. Don’t you want to feel amazing every time you receive a compliment or pass by a full-length mirror?
These 8 questions have kept us annoyed for a long time now and even though there’s no end to them, all we can do is pray for the patience to keep up with them.
Jyotsna Amla