Equality over Superiority

Senuri Kapurusinghe

Boys are superior to girls! Girls are superior to boys! The current public outcry over gender equality is simply based on superiority, each gender tries to secure against another. If this is not the case there is no reasonable prudent cause as to why ‘gender equality’ is still a burning issue to be discussed and opinions to be expressed upon. It is undeniable that gender equality is viewed differently based on the culture to which one is born to, thus perceives it differently. Cultures en rooted in countries like Sri Lanka traces back to a society featuring a dominant ideology of patriarchy. However, the status quo marks a drastic change from the ancient ideology by recognizing women as individuals with equal status in the society just as men, which is in fact gender equality!

Social media, blogs, panel discussions, articles etc. lay the platform for women to fight for their right of equality on gender based terms and it is absolutely impressive to witness them securing their place in society for which they struggled immensely. The more I myself am proud to be a woman and to be born in this era, little did I know that the essence of ‘feminism’ where women fought to be equal, not superior is fading away. I believe and it is quite evident that both men and women have lost sight of what equality really is and instead are striving towards being superior to one another under the cover of ‘gender equality’. It is not surprising to encounter numerous offensive materials being shared especially across social media, by both parties under the great buffer of protection which many love to refer as ‘EMPOWERMENT’.

It is indeed a sight for sore eyes to see women empowering their own kind to speak up for themselves and thriving to know their worth. I myself being a woman believe, the true essence of gender equality is not what we are experiencing at the moment where certain feminist movements invest their time and effort to benefit themselves in an unfair manner by exploiting gender equality in numerous ways and means, beneath the mere slogans of ‘women empowerment’, ‘independent woman’ and of course ‘feminism’. On the other hand women still experience the presence of certain males using their inherent superiority which they believe they possess from birth to restrict women from shattering the glass ceiling. The fact that there are open minded individuals who value the true spirit of gender equality, is an absolute silver lining which is nothing but an indication of hope!

Gender equality should be dispensed across the world in its true meaning where boys and girls are taught to respect the other and give due recognition and appreciation irrespective of the gender. Equality marks its presence when the rightful person deserves and takes hold of the rightful place despite of their gender. Also as much as I am happy to be born as a woman, I believe such happiness can be cherished forever when little girls are taught ‘NOT’ to cry for ‘equality’ when you still expect boys to offer you a seat in public transport or pamper you simply because you are a girl (when you are not pregnant or disabled etc.) Men should be taught not to look down on women and on their ambit of capabilities, while being prudent enough to realize men are inherently stronger than women physically, and that does not make them superior to women or more recognized. It is seemingly high time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals!