Bollywood actress Konkona Sen Sharma is one of the actors
who is outspoken. She has spoken about gender equality, feminism and more at
various occasions and her quotes are worth reading.
Lately, during a communication with a charitable
organisation named OXFAM India, Konkona was questioned if she is someone who
has strongly practiced in raising a feminist or gender-sensitive child. To
which she specified, "I am very aware of this and it troubles me I see
that there are so many everyday instances of gender inequality that happen
around him. In our neighbourhood, kids play football in the evening and once I
had a conversation with my son about the fact that it was boys who were playing
and the girls were nowhere to be seen. I feel it is important to have such
conversations and make your child aware of gender because in so many
un-thinking ways they can learn about patriarchy."
She further revealed, "Once I remember, he asked if he
could wear a nail polish. I didn’t tell him that boys don’t wear nail polish. I
explained that make-up was not meant for children and he could decide for
himself when he grew up. But, then he also learnt from the world that boys
don’t wear pink. I kept explaining that colour doesn’t matter but sometimes
children are influenced more my other kids than parents. It is hard, for
parents alone, to counter the existing patriarchy. The community, society and
school mould a child’s perspective towards gender. There are gender differences
but they need to be celebrated and integrated."
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