Chapter -4
Caste – Gender – Society
In
There were certain ideas for the family as well as the society regarding the growth and personalities of boys and girls since their childhood. In accordance with them only boys and girls are treated differently. As the age increases changes develop in the physiology of the boys and girls. Along with that they tend to develop independent thinking.
The hindrance to the personal blossoming of girl children
For every minor thing parents compare girl children with boy children adversely and make comments - that run like this – why do you compete with boys, after all you are a girl? why do you play with boys? Etc. Thus they create a feeling of withdrawnness and fear about the boys. Elders won’t assign some tasks to boys. The same tasks are being assigned to girls. They assign the entire household work to girls. Even if boys were asked to do that work, they some how escape it and run away for playing outside.
Parents are culprits in teaching slavery
The same difference that lurks behind the rearing of boys and girls also continuous in the rearing of the children of upper and lower castes. The parents of poor families always remind their children that – we the poor or else of the lower caste should not do this or that. We should not compete against the children of the upper caste. In that way the children of lower castes learn to accept the domination of the children of upper castes as the girls learn to accept the domination of the boys. If any parents violate teaching this, the parents of the upper caste children reprimand them – that you have to teach your children some proper manners and make them learn about the differences. They even insult them. So the parents take up the ‘grand’ responsibility of killing enthusiasm and self confidence in their children.
Over the last 60 years feminism has brought out multiple ways of oppression against women in the world. Ninety percent of the aspects of discrimination brought to lime light by feminism apply equally well for the lower castes. Where as the men of lower castes are considered as the slaves, their women are the slaves of the slaves. They develop their personalities accordingly.
Nobody is born as a woman
Nobody is born as a woman. They are made so. Nobody is born as a member of the lower caste. They will be made so. The society, neighbours and parents impose on them the concepts, behaviour and goals by force, as if they are natural.
They insult and preach things like ‘you are girls, your don’t know any thing. You can’t do these things. Sit home and do cooking. It is enough if you take care of your husband and children. Are you going to rule the country? So also the members of the so called lower castes are humiliated since childhood – you belong to lower caste, it is of no avail how much we give you. Though you earn a lot, you squander it by boozing. You can’t do any thing properly so on and so forth.
By these criticisms and humiliation women and lower caste members are being led down. If they are properly encouraged and their creativity is brought out – there could be many great writers, great leaders, great inventors and great administrators from those sections. Children at a school grow up with equal opportunities only when a society and government encourage them so.
The aspects of gender difference brought to lime light by feminism should as well be extended to the men of lower caste.
In discriminating boys and girls, a sense of inferiority is inculcated in the girls. They are taught to feel shy, not walk confidently and not talk with initiative with others. This is how infinite number of restrictions are imposed on the female. All these things develop a sort of inferiority complex in girls and young women. Similar kinds of insults are being faced by the men of lower castes. They are taught, not to talk back to the members of the upper caste, and salute them. And not to expect the same from them. Not to compete with the members of upper caste, and to behave continuously in such a way as if they have done something wrong. In this way inferiority complex is continuously created amongst them.
How the society lags behind in the chain reaction
The girls and women who were brought up so, under conditions of discrimination tend to rear their children with the same kind of inferiority complex and discrimination. This way the inferiority and discrimination imposed on women spreads to the entire society through immense. If girls and women are brought up as equals they develop wonderful personalities. Family tends to become active and conscious. Society grows immensely. The present day society where in the male domination prevails is ultimately leading to inferiority even in men through child rearing. So also the caste discrimination leading to stunted development in the society.
There are three classes in the society – the ruling class, the class that is ruled and the class that link these two classes. In the social parlous these classes are termed as – as upper class, poor class and middle class. Within each of these classes there are again three levels. These tend to influence the personalities of the individuals in those classes. This social hierarchy discharges the poor from achieving higher goals. The caste, the gender discrimination will play into the hands of a few in the form of wealth and capital. It lays limitations on some others.
In every society there will be power embedded in it. According to Bernard the order that is obeyed is the nature of power in the ceremonial system.
The power does not reside only in those who wield it. It will also be there psyche of those who obeyed. The power even in military and dictatorial rule will depend upon; not only on those who command but more so on those who obey. For example the domination of the upper caste also depends upon the acceptance of the same by the members of the lower castes. If the lower castes refuse to obey the orders the upper castes automatically loose their domination. Those who order may be powerful. They may be great. But if the people don’t obey them their orders and commands come to nothing. There are laws banning the dowry. But, people are not obeying that, so the system of dowry continues.
In this way the discriminations between the castes; and between boys and girls is leading to inferiority complex in them. But by birth all are equal. If all the people are brought up equally without gender discrimination, caste discrimination and discrimination of age such a society would develop with sky as the limit. The human relations in such a society would be immensely humane. The personal blossoming and social blossoming will be tremendous.
