Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Feminine masculinity
In today’s world, certain societal norms have been taught for generations in the hope of building solid and audacious personalities.
Feminine masculinity is one such personality that nurtures out-of-box concept in Pakistani society where children swing between contrast genders characteristics without perceiving them.
This misconception develops when children feel lonely and think that they have some odd appearance without knowing about it.
Parents’ endless conflicts, busy schedules and hiring care-taker further contribute to such situations.
Some even think such children are possessed by a feminine spirit and hence, are behaving femininely, making the child lose confidence and feel agitated, disturbed, devastated.
Moreover, fear of exploitation, raging in school, parents’ pressure, societal norms and such ongoing physical and mental tortures lead the child towards mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety and he becomes more hesitant to talk about it.
Meanwhile, it is an unintentionally long haul to perceive feminine behaviour due to intimacy with females in house, school, or being inspired by female personalities at a young age which can be corrected with the passage of time.
Until then we need to stop enforcing such norms and obligatorily, remove the superstitions and get accumulated in the society by approaching knowledge at public level.
If a child is facing distortion regarding his existence, spend time with them, frankly communicate with them and council them about basic information (body protocol etc.) and make them feel comfortable so to avoid any tragedy in future.
GOTAM MARWARI
Sindh, Umerkot
The scapegoat
Why is it always the victim? Why are the victims accountable for crimes against themselves? For the last two years or so, the victims are condoled only to be bashed a few minutes later by the same people.
People think that preventing women from going to public places can stop these rascals from committing such heinous crimes but is that really it when men in our country feed their egos by belittling, insulting and raping women? If that isn’t case Domestic Bill 2021 would’ve been passed without any surging opposition.
How can women in Pakistan demand women rights when they’re being denied their basic human rights?
News has been cramped with horrifying and gut-wrenching stories from last three months but somehow people always find a way to blame women. People seem to misinterpret Islam regarding this subject.
For the society, if a women wears something that is disapproved by the society, lives her own life or demands for her rights, disasters and ‘Allah ka azaab’ unleashes consequences such as earthquakes but when a mullah rapes a child in a madrassah, a mother is raped in front of her children, a women is beheaded, a women is stripped, groped and tossed in the air, when a child is raped and assaulted by their cousin/uncle/neighbour/driver or even father, no one utters a word in the victim’s defence.
Obscenity is not outspread by a woman who wears certain type of clothes but by a man who doesn’t let those clothes remain on her body.
MARIAM ANWAR
Islamabad
Gender discrimination
A society’s treatment towards its women is one of the strongest indicators of its success and health.
It’s no secret that despite media uproar regarding women issues, women are constantly harassed and cornered in our society.
Traumatic and dreadful issues are emerging which physically and mentally affect the life of Pakistani women.
The saddest part is that the victim (women, children, and transgender) are always blamed and held responsible for the crime committed against them.
Forcing women to marry and not letting them fulfil their education or dreams is another example of women discrimination in our society.
In contrast, a qualified woman faces many problems while being employed and when she does get a job, she is paid less than her fellow male colleagues.
Although, the government has taken initiatives for the wellbeing of women in Pakistan, they haven’t been very effective.
It is high time now to teach your children, especially your sons to respect women and raise humans instead of monsters.
Our girls are not safe in parks, hospitals and even in their graves. Are we really proud Muslims when we blame and shame the victims and never the criminals?
SAMAN RAFIQ
Islamabad
Women’s equality day
Undisputedly, women are the strength of any nation which is why Bacha Khan wrote “If you wish to know how civilized a culture is, look at how they treat their Women”.
Somewhere between violence against women, I feel like living in the most ignorant and uncivilized community. Every day, we are sick to our stomachs after hearing a new gender-based misogyny and abuse.
From education to security to personal freedom, women are treated inferior and lack equal rights to live with safety and confidence unlike men.
Therefore, Women Equality Day is annually observed worldwide on 26th August to focus on women rights and equality, reminding the world about the 19th US Constitutional Amendment granting women the right to vote.
In 1971, 26th August was recognised as Women Equality Day. On this day, I summon the World and my nation to bring gender inequality to an end.
Let’s construct a safer and much more favourable land of equality for women and empower them so that our nation develops and generations evolve.
MARIA NASEEM
Turbat
