I WANT A SPEECH ON STATUS OF WOMEN
Answers
Answered by
0
Women have been treated as ‘objects’ by the male-dominated society in India and elsewhere. However, there is no uniform pattern of social, cultural and economic distinctions between men and women. In contemporary India, gender-based consciousness has its origin in emergence of the middle classes and their problems.
Patriarchy is very strong in India despite several movements for the upliftment of women launched by women’s organisations during the pre- and the post-independence periods. Sex morals have a direct bearing on hierarchy of caste and class groups.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Four aspects have been studied in detail in the context of the gender-related problems:
(1) Production,
(2) Reproduction,
(3) Sexuality, and
ADVERTISEMENTS:
(4) Socialisation of children.
However, in general, the Marxists and the socialists have over-emphasised the first aspect. In India’s context, men generally dominate in all the four aspects, though women shoulder major responsibilities in these spheres. Male supremacy emanates from caste, class, patriarchy, and sexuality of the male.
Women are treated as inferior in their own families by parents-in-law and even by their husbands. They are stationed at the receiving end. This is generally true of families belonging to all castes and classes, but it is more often found among those groups who are still under the influence of feudalism or have feudalistic lifestyles and values.
Even, the neo-rich in the countryside have put restrictions on women’s higher education, migration and jobs. The fact is that women have been made dependent by men and by the social milieu they have created for them.
In the Rig-Vedic civilisation, women enjoyed equal status with men. Women, like men, received education and observed brahmacharya, and upanayana was also performed for them. Women studied the Vedas, and composed Vedic hymns. Women had access to all branches of knowledge. Women like Ghosha, Apala and Vishvara were composers of outstanding Vedic hymns. In the age of the Upanishads, there were women rishis like Gargi and Maitreyi.
Women could own property and widows could remarry. They also became teachers. Women were not secluded from men, and they freely participated in public life. Marriage was sacred and indivisible and was not a secular contract. It was a religious bond. Child marriage was unknown. Girls enjoyed great freedom and settled their own marriages. Monogamy was a general rule, but there were cases of polygamy among the rich and the ruling classes. Polyandry and sati were non-existent. Wife was given a place of honour and she participated with her husband in religious ceremonies.
The position enjoyed by women in the Rig-Vedic period deteriorated in the later-Vedic period. A daughter began to be regarded as a curse. However, women were granted freedom to participate in public life. They were denied the right of inheritance and ownership of property (like the Shudras).
Even, the earnings of women became property of their husbands and sons. However, women continued to have the upanayana, received education, and worked as teachers. Inter-marriage between Brahmanas and Kshatriyas was not unknown between A.D. 700 and A.D. 1206.
During the Buddhist period women were not denied learning. They took active part in public life, but did not enjoy the right of Vedic studies. The position of women really deteriorated in the Gupta Age. Dowry emerged as an institution in this period. Widows could not marry again. They had to spend life in penance and austerity.
Patriarchy is very strong in India despite several movements for the upliftment of women launched by women’s organisations during the pre- and the post-independence periods. Sex morals have a direct bearing on hierarchy of caste and class groups.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Four aspects have been studied in detail in the context of the gender-related problems:
(1) Production,
(2) Reproduction,
(3) Sexuality, and
ADVERTISEMENTS:
(4) Socialisation of children.
However, in general, the Marxists and the socialists have over-emphasised the first aspect. In India’s context, men generally dominate in all the four aspects, though women shoulder major responsibilities in these spheres. Male supremacy emanates from caste, class, patriarchy, and sexuality of the male.
Women are treated as inferior in their own families by parents-in-law and even by their husbands. They are stationed at the receiving end. This is generally true of families belonging to all castes and classes, but it is more often found among those groups who are still under the influence of feudalism or have feudalistic lifestyles and values.
Even, the neo-rich in the countryside have put restrictions on women’s higher education, migration and jobs. The fact is that women have been made dependent by men and by the social milieu they have created for them.
In the Rig-Vedic civilisation, women enjoyed equal status with men. Women, like men, received education and observed brahmacharya, and upanayana was also performed for them. Women studied the Vedas, and composed Vedic hymns. Women had access to all branches of knowledge. Women like Ghosha, Apala and Vishvara were composers of outstanding Vedic hymns. In the age of the Upanishads, there were women rishis like Gargi and Maitreyi.
Women could own property and widows could remarry. They also became teachers. Women were not secluded from men, and they freely participated in public life. Marriage was sacred and indivisible and was not a secular contract. It was a religious bond. Child marriage was unknown. Girls enjoyed great freedom and settled their own marriages. Monogamy was a general rule, but there were cases of polygamy among the rich and the ruling classes. Polyandry and sati were non-existent. Wife was given a place of honour and she participated with her husband in religious ceremonies.
The position enjoyed by women in the Rig-Vedic period deteriorated in the later-Vedic period. A daughter began to be regarded as a curse. However, women were granted freedom to participate in public life. They were denied the right of inheritance and ownership of property (like the Shudras).
Even, the earnings of women became property of their husbands and sons. However, women continued to have the upanayana, received education, and worked as teachers. Inter-marriage between Brahmanas and Kshatriyas was not unknown between A.D. 700 and A.D. 1206.
During the Buddhist period women were not denied learning. They took active part in public life, but did not enjoy the right of Vedic studies. The position of women really deteriorated in the Gupta Age. Dowry emerged as an institution in this period. Widows could not marry again. They had to spend life in penance and austerity.
Similar questions