#205 💫 Mindfulness in the Mystical Lanes of Dharamkot 🌄 ( Part 28 )

2 min Read |  06 Sep 2023 

Challenging the Patriarchal Paradigm 🌍🔗

[91] Childhood Reflections 👶🌟📖

As a fourth-grader in Dubai, I felt a sense of independence, reminiscent of Japanese kids travelling solo in buses. It's striking how, even then, gender norms were so deeply ingrained. My older cousin, despite being in the ninth grade, had her freedom curtailed simply because she was a girl.

[92] Late-Night Realizations 🌙💡🤯

I can still recall a particular night after college, where a truck transporting my belongings was significantly delayed. Arriving at my maternal grandparents' home in the wee hours at 3am, my grandma’s comment underscored the gender disparities. 'Had this been a girl, would this even be conceivable?' she pondered.

[93] A Glimpse into Nature's Ruthlessness 🌿🌪️👁️‍🗨️

Exploring the evolutionary narrative, we find myriad examples of survival tactics – from deception to sheer cruelty. But to attribute these solely to man would be mistaken. The patriarchal software runs deep, affecting society at large.

[94] The Shift Begins with Awareness 🔄🧠🚀

Stories from my own lineage highlight this deeply embedded mindset. My paternal grandpa's initial resistance to his daughters working gradually waned when they became the financial pillars of the family. My maternal grandpa, on the other hand, was slightly more progressive but drew the line at them working too far from home, I remember something on lines 'If it were my daughters doing that, I would break their arms'. 

[95] Safety – A Geographical Perspective 🌍🔒🧭

Growing up in Dubai, a city renowned for its safety, I took proactive policing for granted. Contrast this with an incident in Bangalore, where the police took an hour to reach a distressed friend, highlighting the disparity in safety infrastructure.

[96] Workplace Disparities 👥📉💼

Discussing gender inequality with a manager, I was taken aback by his candid admission of preferring male team members. Digging deeper, his reasoning became clear. Over his decade-long career, he never had to deal with the parents of a male employee, nor the safety logistics for male employees working late. For him, it was about convenience, but it illuminated the deeply entrenched, systemic bias.

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#GenderBias #ChallengingNorms #Patriarchy #LifeJourneys #BreakingBarriers