Men matter!
When we are concerned about human rights, the word human is inclusive of all genders. However, when women felt that their concerns were different and they required limelight they started with the feminist movement. When the LGBTQI+ group felt that they had some special concerns which world must know, they had their movement. However, men’s rights remain under vain.
Thus transcending the boundaries of human rights, this movement arose with the need for equality in all societies of the world. Now this time is signalling that in a similar fashion that these movements get highlighted in the world forum, men got under the veil.
Generally, it is the men, who are blamed for inequality because of apparent historical reasons. This seems quite apparent that it is true that men dominate other genders just based on their gender identity. However, this generalization that all men have a single cup of tea doesn’t give viable grounds to argue.
Now society is becoming aware of the topics inclusive of men’s rights, sexual harassment with little boys and men, the burden of being the sole income generator, anxiety about not crying in public places and the increasing notion of their toxic masculinity. This is a fact that India is indeed a patriarchal society. However, men can not be the victim in a patriarchal society is not a valid argument to have. The apparent cases of violation of men’s rights are the evidence for this pseudo apparatus in society.
Cases suggesting the need for men’s rights and dignity
- The rule of providing maintenance after divorce sometimes makes men victim of it. Fortunately, maintenance is a gender-equal law under the Hindu Marriage Act. However, ground reality somewhere does suggest that there is a need for more execution of these laws. Men are always expected to be a generator of income in the society.
- Thus this is a subject that requires further scrutiny, how much viable to reform laws in developing society. Women are now equal earners too and we need to consider this as well to have a new perspective in the society and legal apparatus.
- “Don’t cry like a girl” is something which is a proverb in Indian households From a very early age, men are emotionally conditioned to not cry. This is something that damages to natural state of emotions. As tears are not correlated with any gender. This kind of masculinity has been engulfing the natural emotions of males for centuries.
- The pressure to be the sole earning member of the family is something men worry about. One of the repercussions of a patriarchal society is that if males don’t earn, they are in the spotlight of society. Such victimization of males here makes them vulnerable to poor mental health.
Men’s sexual harassment is a topic that has failed to be the topic of debate in public platforms. However, the ground reality is sexual harassment is a heinous crime that doesn’t have any concern of gender. Thus, it makes a lot of victims silent about the sexual harassment of males. There is no strict law in India protecting men’s sexual harassment and post-crime procedures are not equally stringent.
Thus, men’s rights are something that remains in vain. This society needs to understand the very natural fact that violation of rights is something gender neutral. Thus, men require equal protection of the law regarding the same.
Reforms we need to protect men’s rights
- The legal process needs reform with time which should be sympathetic to men. Laws for sexual harassment should be equal for men too to have the required justice there.
- Educating people to make tears a normal phenomenon is a substantial reform that we need. We must make crying a normal process for men to remove the psychological burden on them.
- Handling the financial pressures also needs equal distribution in families. Educating couples regarding their reformed roles through a variety of measures is what we need now.
- The International Men’s Day on November 19 must require equal attention at the world forum
In a nutshell, we must conclude here that our society requires urgent reforms to protect men’s rights. Patriarchy is a concept different from masculinity. Thus, we can be called a civilized society when we tend to have a healthy balance between masculine, feminine and other components of society in an equal manner.
References and sources
Freepik images, https://ijirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-OF-MEN-A-CRIME-THAT-IS-A-REALITY.pdf