Opinion

Women Are Not Born To Be Slaves!

Nmesoma Okwudili

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June 13, 2024

As women, society often imposes specific expectations and mannerisms on us, dictating how we should behave. It seems as though we are conditioned throughout our lives not to prioritize our own needs but to prepare ourselves for a future where our primary role is to care for our husbands. From a young age, girls are trained in domestic responsibilities, often at the expense of their own development and aspirations.

For instance, a ten-year-old girl may already be learning to wake up early, clean the entire house, and prepare breakfast for her sleeping brothers. This early indoctrination not only instills a sense of responsibility toward household chores but also reinforces the idea that their worth is tied to their ability to serve others. Such upbringing perpetuates a cycle where women are valued more for their caregiving roles rather than their individual aspirations and potential.

In her book “Delusions of Gender,” neuroscientist Cordelia Fine highlights the flaws in studies that assume significant structural differences between male and female brains. She argues that societal influences and neurosexism, rather than biology, shape these differences. Fine explains that the wiring of gender is flexible and malleable, not fixed. Ultimately, most gender differences are not biologically determined but are products of social constructs and environmental factors. It is society, not genetics, that dictates the patterns of gendered behavior we adopt.

Many people continue to cling to outdated traditional beliefs that confine men and women to rigidly defined roles based solely on their gender. It’s disheartening to see that, even today, cooking—a fundamental and necessary skill—is still seen by many as exclusively a woman’s responsibility. This narrow-minded view extends to general household management, casting it as a woman’s duty rather than a basic life skill everyone should possess. This persistent gender-based division of labor not only reinforces harmful stereotypes but also stifles opportunities for shared responsibilities and mutual respect within households. It’s a constant reminder of how deeply ingrained and resistant to change these societal expectations can be, often at the expense of equality and personal growth.

In modern, civilized societies, traditional gender roles are deemed irrelevant. They are social constructs developed over time and not rooted in innate human behavior. Originally, gender roles emerged as a means to organize essential tasks in early human societies. While some argue that because these roles have been practiced for so long, they should remain unchanged and are integral to human development, many contemporary societies no longer require adherence to traditional gender roles. Both men and women are capable of performing many of the same tasks, rendering gender-specific behaviors unnecessary.

These stereotypes can be detrimental as they lead to the condemnation and oppression of those who deviate from traditional gender roles. Consequently, many individuals struggle to realize their full potential. Therefore, it is imperative that we promote the expression of individual truths regardless of gender norms, enabling everyone to contribute fully to society.

Most women spend their entire married lives burdened with the sole responsibility of caring for their husbands and children. They sacrifice years of their existence, dedicated to this one role, with nothing to show for it beyond the children they bear for their partners. The truly heartbreaking reality is that they unconsciously train their daughters to follow the same path, perpetuating a cycle where women live only for their families, with no significant personal achievements to carry with them to the grave. While it is true that some women may choose this path out of their own free will, rather than societal expectations, for the majority, it stems from what they have observed their mothers do and how they have been conditioned to view their roles as women. This cycle is a sorrowful testament to the deep-seated gender norms that continue to dictate women’s lives.

Parents must do better and stop using the guise of providing education for their daughters to mask the gender inequality that persists in their homes. Girls and boys are both human beings and deserve to be treated with equity. We no longer live in ancient times; we are in a modern world where the rigid boundaries of gender roles and inequality are slowly being dismantled. It is heartbreaking to imagine a future where young girls and boys struggle because they were not taught basic life skills, all because their parents chose to assign specific roles based on gender. We must strive for a world where every child, regardless of gender, is given the tools and opportunities to thrive and reach their full potential.

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