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Essay / Indian women's struggle against feminism
Feminism promised the emancipation of women from structures that marginalized them and made them invisible in society and in international relations. However, for a theory that promises women's emancipation, it overgeneralizes the experiences of women around the world by applying the Western concept to third world countries and feminism tends to neglect cultural, historical, traditional structures and religious beliefs that shape women's roles and identities. in different societies. Feminist scholars have argued that gender evolves historically and culturally and is very different from country to country (True, 2001). Therefore, feminism has failed to deliver on its promise if it undermines the experiences of third world societies by simply portraying third world women as victims who simply need to be liberated. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Liberal and reform-minded Indian women have often refused to use feminists to refer to themselves because they see that the Feminist ideas are too Western and cannot be applied. to explain the plight of Hindu women since his ideas cannot be translated into their religious and cultural context. Furthermore, they do not view men as their oppressors but as partners who often propel Indian women into leadership roles; they saw that their caste system is the cause of the subordination and enslavement of men and women (Basharat, 2009). Indian girls are not only hindered by their patriarchal society but they are also oppressed by their societal system which is the caste system which has been legally abolished but it still persists in Indian rural communities and their culture, religion and their traditions. In Hinduism's sacred texts, the Vedas, state that women are inferior to men, which is rather ironic because these texts contain hymns to praise and exalt the empowered warrior goddesses who slay demons. A Hindu woman is nothing more than property. It is often said that Islam has treated its women better by allowing them to inherit and own property and that they have the right to divorce their own husbands. Hindu women cannot own any property, making them financially dependent on their husbands. Daughters are also considered an economic burden to her family as they have to pay her dowry when she gets married (Komath, 2013). She can only be considered human once she has a husband. Her husband also confers his caste on her and she cannot retain her caste if she decides to marry someone of a lower caste. However, once she becomes a widow, she is nothing more than a creature whose very shadow is considered offensive and impure. His presence is considered inauspicious and this stigma prevents him from joining and participating in religious rituals and festivities. She has to give up all worldly pleasures, like wearing sarees and brightly colored jewelry. If she is an orthodox Hindu, she will also have to shave her hair. Apart from this, she must also adhere to strict dietary restrictions (RNW, 2009). A widow is financially dependent on her family and if the family decides that they are no longer willing or able to support her financially, she finds herself alone. If a widow is still young, which is often the case in Hindu societies due to the widespread practice of child marriages, then she can still take up employment.poorly paid jobs, such as housekeeping, because being a child does not exclude her from the mistreatment and ostracization of widows in their society. Older women must beg for scraps of food to survive in widowed towns such as Vrindivan and Varanasi. Many Indian widows await their death, which they consider to be the end of their misery; their only hope is that their situation will change in their next life by being born into a higher caste (Damon, 2007). Ancient Hinduism prevented women from accessing education because they were enlightened. Women are considered unworthy. However, the situation is changing, as women claim to have the same rights as men when it comes to education. India has seen the rise of women to high positions of power, such as Indira and Sonia Gandhi. India's economic rise has had ripple effects throughout society, leading it to revise and rethink its societal view of the role and identity of women. As India continues its slow progress toward modernity, some people want to hinder its efforts to improve the situation. the lives of his daughters. Hindu fundamentalists call for a return to their ancient culture and tradition while trying to protect the idea of the traditional "Hindu family" by opposing women's right to education. In the eyes of the fundamentalist, a woman in a traditional Hindu family should always be quiet and subordinate to her husband (Basharat, 2009). According to Vaishna Roy, there is a rise in indigenous Indian feminism which is supported by Hindu nationalists who wanted a comeback. of their traditions by distorting feminist ideas and using these ideas to oppress rather than emancipate women. In her indigenous feminism, women are also offered a “choice,” but these choices return them to their traditional gender roles. Women have to pay more attention to their family than to their work and they cannot raise suitable young men if they do not behave according to sanskari (typical expectation of Hindu women's behavior as being well-mannered, gentle and calm) in a way in which they do not deserve freedom. but to have a “significant” role in their society thanks to channeling. According to Bithika Misha Rahman, Indian feminists tend to neglect Dalit (untouchable caste) women and instead of achieving emancipation for all Indian women, they give freedom only as a privilege. little. To work, feminism in India must be intersectional; it must take into account the social hierarchies that give privileges and at the same time oppress people. An Indian feminist should not only focus on fighting patriarchy, but she must also wage war against the social system that perpetuates oppression in India. Another shortcoming of feminism was its assumption that men are the oppressors and therefore benefit greatly from patriarchy, but it also harmed them by upholding the ideals of a patriarchal society. Men are forced to conform to the idea of “toxic masculinity”; they have repressed their emotions because they are forbidden from expressing them and they must also present a strong, rational front to the world. Being emotional, caring and caring are considered feminine traits and a man is not allowed to show these traits as it is very frowned upon in a patriarchal society. Indian men suffer from a dissonance with what they have been taught and the interdependence they have with them. their mothers; dissonance causes chauvinism because they must view women as inferior to them when they are.