Women and independence

Tasneem Ashraf ।।

If you also grew up in Bangladesh you will be able to relate with me. I was fortunate enough to be born and brought up in a solvent and educated family. I never had to fight for going to school or getting a job after finishing my education. But why do I have to feel fortunate for these kinds of basic things? Have you ever questioned yourself? Well I have and was left with anger and frustration.

“We are not born to be in the kitchen” – I’m sure many of us have used this sentence at least once in our life. Question is – why do we consider cooking as womens’ job or not even a job! I believe knowing how to cook is a basic life skill which all should know regardless of their gender. We all should know basic cooking for survival.

Similarly, we also mostly avoid paper, legal or bureaucratic works. If you ever have applied for your passport or even your birth certificate in most of the cases you have been to the offices with someone else just like the way I did. Have you ever thought of doing such things by yourself ?

How many times, you tried to fix your broken phone, camera or laptop by simply googling the problem you are facing? Of course we are not mechanical engineers but the quick and short fixes are available for us in google.

Have we ever changed a lightbulb or a tap in the bathroom or kitchen? Or even tried for it? Fixing a broken chair or a desk a desk should also be a quick fix and is definitely worth a try.

The reason I am mentioning all these is simple. We should feel independent from inside. These small things will only give us confidence. Confidence to be able to handle things and times when they are not sound. I was also unknown of all of these before. But I learned and now I don’t have to ask or wait for other’s help.

Independence is not only about getting a job, driving a car or earning money. Being independent is to be confident and being able to fix problems by yourself. Independence is to discover yourself as a strong person.

Being a female in our country is very difficult. In the western world the women are competing against men. But in our country we fight against not only men but also the whole society and sometimes even our own families. We must gain our confidence on basic skills. And trust me, painting a wall at home can build a pillar of confidence in you.

(The views and opinions expressed by the writers are those of their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Feminist Factor)