Relations in India

Throughout history, the roles and relations between different genders have dramatically changed. In most societies, gender is a term that is socially constructed, as society plays an important role in shaping the different behaviors and attitudes of its members. The differences among genders are strongly reflected in the development of certain behavior traits and social roles within the specified gender. In addition, the development of gender roles begins in the early stages of life, as early as infancy. More specifically, throughout Indian history, gender roles have been very specific and traditional.

They have been defined not only by political laws, but also by religious teachings and literature. As time passed by, the traditional nature of these gender roles has been influenced by technology.

In classical India (c. 700 BCE-350 BCE), much like many civilizations before it, men were the dominant gender in agricultural society. As agriculture became better organized and technology improved, the economic contributions from women were reduced but not eliminated, thereby expanding the stress on male authority. India followed a common pattern in agricultural societies, as the women’s sphere of action was gradually circumscribed. One of the largest customs in classical India was the introduction of arranged marriages. The parents arranged unions for their children, principally daughters, at quite an early age, to spouses they had never met before. The purpose of this was to promote a family’s economic well-being and to ensure solid economic links. Also, the child brides would contribute dowries of land or domesticated animals to the eventual family estate. However, as a result, young people, notably girls, were drawn into a new family structure in which they had no say. These wedding dowries also meant that females were a burden to their families, which led to occasional infanticide. Infanticide was widely acknowledged in India and was also caused by poverty, deformed infants, lack of support services, maternal illnesses, and births to an unmarried woman. If a woman became a widow of a Hindu man, she would be burned alive in a practice known as Sati. In the 18th century, Sati was very popular among the upper castes. A significant factor in child marriages and gender roles was the influence of political, religious, and literary establishments.

Most rules for different genders stem from political laws, religious books, and literature. These sources were a reflection of the limits imposed on women. For political laws, one of the Indian codes of law recommended women worship their husbands as if they were God Himself. The great epics stress the control of the husbands and fathers while still recognizing the independent contributions from the women. As for religion, Hinduism and Islam were two major religious sects during classical India. In Hinduism, the Hindu doctrine states that women were created by the Brahman (priest) to provide company for a man and to facilitate procreation, family lineage, and progeny. According to the Vedas, the role of women was to support the man and enable him to continue his family traditions. In Islam, the Quran lays down that women are secondary to men. Muslim men are permitted to abuse their wives, engage in polygamy, and part from their wife if she is undesired. With regard to literature, the stories often celebrated the emotions and beauty of women. Indian culture, in general, frequently featured clever and strong-willed women and goddesses, contributing to their status as mothers and wives.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the British began colonizing the Indian peoples due to the abundance of cotton in India. They created a division of labor whereby men were subservient to a higher power, which meant women were subservient to men and British colonizers. In 1858, the British Raj became the new rule of India. The first empress, Victoria, created a British proclamation of non-interference in the customs and practices of the people of India. In the nineteenth century, however, British rulers removed women’s inheritance and marriage rights. During the rule of India by the British, they implemented a hierarchical caste system. Men had overarching power over females, especially those in a lower caste. The status of a male dictated what he could get away with. For example, men could abuse women without facing consequences. This made women prone to intimidation, violence, and public shaming as a means of maintaining gender inequality. Women were literally the lowest members of society during this time period.

Moving into more recent centuries, advancements in technology have greatly impacted gender inequality in India. For example, over the last decade, television has been introduced into Indian villages, bringing with it Indian soap operas. The female characters in these soap operas are well-educated, work outside of the house, control their own money, and have fewer children. Investigators visited 108 villages throughout India to see the effect cable TV had on them. They found that due to the introduction of cable, women’s preference for having a male child fell by 12%. The average number of scenarios in which women believed wife-beating was acceptable decreased by 10%. The likelihood of girls aged 6-10 going to school increased by about 8%. Also, for women under the age of 35, the average number of births decreased by half. The researchers of this study, Jensen and Oster, believe TV exposes women to a new set of peers and consequently changes their attitudes.

Each culture and community has their own gender roles and social norms. People within these societies are indoctrinated by these stereotypes from the day they are born. The classifications and stereotypes are passed down through multiple generations and are seldom defied, leading to gender inequalities. In India, women are still in the lower class and often don’t have much of a voice. However, thanks to various technological and social platforms, they can share their stories and promote change. It’s up to each generation to break the stereotypes that women are destined to be homebodies, and give them more freedom, or else society cannot truly claim gender equality.

Do your best to achieve your goals.

Do what makes you distinct from others.

Assert your rights by excelling in your pursuits.

Strive for excellence in your field.

-Saina Nehwal (badminton player)

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