Has Independence Also Meant From Independence From Patriarchy?

Rhea Jimmy, TY BAJMC

India has been an independent nation for 75 years now. To us, it may or may not seem like too much, but to those who fought for it, 75 years would’ve been an unbelievable milestone. While this is undeniably an occasion that calls for celebration and rejoicing, it is also one that demands the pondering of a very vital issue that goes hand-in-hand with the independence of any nation: 'Has independence for the country really meant independence for its women?'

I’m positive that a lot of people think about this on a daily basis, even if they don’t necessarily connect the independence of women with that of the country. But to me, these two concepts are like threads woven together to create the very fabric of our society. This is because when we were struggling for India’s independence, it was all for one and one for all. This meant that independence, when achieved, would be extended to all individuals of our society, regardless of their age, gender, caste or religion. But unfortunately, that idea seems to have been lost somewhere along the way. Independence, even after it was ours, became a subjective concept, and misogyny’s definition of the same seemingly overpowered any other description of it.

In simple words, the women of our country have always been a few steps away from attaining the independence that they deserve. Sometimes, they take some steps forward to inch closer to a better tomorrow but are instantly pulled back a couple of steps by some others. It is no doubt that India can be very orthodox when it comes to ‘allowing’ women to live their lives the way they see fit, and because of this, the general populace that pulls women down also includes other women. The conventional and backward way of living has been ingrained into their minds for so long that it is now difficult for them to imagine a life without it.

Apart from the constitutionally demanded fundamental rights for women, we seem to have very little freedom outside of that sphere. Even then, freedom of speech comes with being told that 'you’re a woman, your job is to run a house, not a country'. The right to life comes with being told how to live it. The right to equality comes with the looming face of patriarchy that tells us we’re beneath all men, just because we’re biologically different. The right against exploitation comes with being exploited every step of the way because misogyny hasn’t allowed equality. Basically, even the freedom that we have knows bounds because independence for India has not meant independence for us women.

Of course, there have been times when women themselves have tried, single-handedly, to change this. They’ve attempted to shoulder the burdens of all women and make something more out of our struggles. Their struggles have paved paths that, today, may not look like much just because we’re used to them. When in reality, their whole lives were a struggle for our freedom.

The biggest example of this would be Savitribai Phule’s story. Savitribai and Fatima Sheikh worked together to create a better tomorrow for Indian girls and women for years before the world acknowledged their success. They were educationists and fought for women’s right to education and widow remarriage. Savitribai Phule is known as the pioneer of India’s feminist movement and continues to be an inspiration to women who wish to change the ways of the world; of our country.

While there is no doubt that Indian independence has brought about a better life for all of us, and the generations before and after, there is still always going to remain the question of whether or not women will ever get the same level of independence as men. Yes, the first step was to be free of our colonizers, but it is now time to realize that true independence lies in much more than that. It lies in the realization that it isn’t really independence till everyone has it; in realizing that everyone deserves to have it. It lies in contributing to something much bigger than ourselves, to something that will last forever once attained. It lies in our equality, it lies in us and in every step that we take toward the future that we wish to live.