Women are always considered not worthy enough compared to men. They are expected to do things that keep them subjugated and the best women according to patriarchal norms, is a woman who is not opinionated and has no dreams save for serving her husband, his family and taking care of household chores and children.
When a girl is growing up, it’s a frequent saying for her to hear, “You shouldn’t do this or that. Nobody will want to marry you.” This line implicitly conveys that all that the girl is worth, is to be married off to please a stranger. If she has any undesirable qualities or behaviour, she must immediately change it and must always be submissive and suiting to what the husband wants.
Everything that a little girl is supposed to do is dependent on this sole ending. She isn’t supposed to sit a certain way, talk too much or too loudly, not supposed to hang out with boys too much, must not wear revealing clothes, and must be willing to give up career goals for the family. The amount of sacrifices that a woman is supposed to make, for appeasing society, just for being a woman is uncountable.
A decade ago, women were willing to do so, because they internalized that it was a woman’s duty to be sacrificial, that it makes her a hero. The patriarchal ideals ingrained in their minds since childhood makes them think the same way as men. Women = subservient. There are still women who disregard and pull down other women because they do not conform to the patriarchal ideology. Since they are used to killing their dreams, they feel the need to not let others pursue theirs.
In the name of peace, it is only women who are told to compromise. It seems unknown to many that it requires two to come to a compromise.
Society’s extreme interest in other people’s affairs has made it so that no one will make a decision, even if it only concerns them, without thinking what society will think.
But recently, there has been a shift in thinking due to feminism. Women now realise that it is not their duty alone to raise a child, and thus there is absolutely no need for her to give up her job to do so. She has control over her own emotions, thoughts and actions, and nobody has the right to take it away from her. The sooner people realise this, breaking down the system of patriarchy that’s been oppressing women for ages will be so much easier.