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“We all must be taught, HOW to think not WHAT to think”
Taboos are the things that must not be spoken, must not be done says the society. But the question is who actually decide these things which are given a tag of taboos. Everyone one us will have a different angle of thinking, hence the definition of taboos would differ from the imagination of a 15-year-old to an imagination of 55-year-old.
India has a deep sense of culture, a colorful outlook, and a rich civilization. After every few kilometers, diversity in culture can be seen. Though India is a developing country still there are certain taboos that involve both men and women. Taboos are created when there clashes of thoughts. The younger generation somehow is not accepting conservative thinking which is why taboos are created.
Women and Their Physique
In India, on one side women’s are known to be the goddess and on the other hand, the Indian society has misogynist undertones, countless offensive, demeaning words for girls and women. By birth, women are taught to hide their bodies, accept the pain, and take their bodies as a burden on them.
Movies like Veere Di Wedding and Four More Shots have shown women-centric scenes. Which shows a woman drinking, smoking, and having sex according to her choice. Thus, these kinds of movies are not rated high. No Indian family would show such films to their kids. This modern way of living is still acceptable.
In old paintings, women are portrayed as voluptuous beauties. But in reality, this side of a woman is only to be shown to his husband.
This means if women show off their body then that’s unorthodox and a social taboo. In India plastic surgery, breast implants are not at all encouraged.
Divorce
Marriage is bliss to a family. Seeing their daughter getting married is every parent’s dream. But, in some families, women are considered to be a burden and if they aren’t married they are financially dependent too. This view is unfair to both women and men.
Men are always taught that after they are the only sole caretaker of their wives.
Women are stopped from being financially independent which is one of the concern and they are forced to be in marriage though if they aren’t happy.
Not only women but men are also the victim of this taboo, they are considered to be inadequate to be a husband or a caretaker.
Another stigma of Indian society is sex, women, after marriage if divorced is considered to be impure.
Divorce is such a social taboo that people sometimes use it in a way to abuse men or women.
Periods
“It is not a disease”. Having periods from the age of thirteen is not easy, the pain, the cramps a woman goes through is very hard. She expects support from her family, husband, friends rather than being told that stay away from us these days. Movies like Padman shows how a village woman has to suffer during her periods. Lack of awareness, poverty, discouragement all of this is the reason that they are suffering.
Periods are such a taboo that women are told not to come in the kitchen, temple. In just a second we tell her that for five days every month you considered to be impure, we just forget that the god has only created women with such body functions so what is to shame in that? Meaning it just the thinking of the society that creates taboos.
Feminism
Feminism is a movement that fights for the equality of both the sexes. Though it focuses mainly on women, that doesn’t mean hatred towards men. Feminism helps men those who suffer from social expectations, domestic abuse, or depression. Feminism doesn’t mean that every time a woman corrects rather they focus on equality between both men and women.
But in Indian society, a feminist is considered to hate men and because of that many of us refused to be called a feminist. Though they would agree about equality but still they want to be under the feminism shed.
Childless Family
A family without their own child is always seen with weeping eyes. Once I was out on a family dinner and someone there asked my brother, celebration 5 years of togetherness so kid or kids? He just lowered down his voice and said no kids yet, medicines are going on. My mother there suddenly said oh child just say it proudly what’s there to hide and never mind you can also go for adoption as well, you will have a chance to chose everyone doesn’t have that and she smiled.
I was so happy at that moment and realized yes, in India not having your own child taken as a curse. In India, we don’t talk about sex, sex problems openly. People refuse to go to a sexologist mentioning that they fit and fine. Meaning this is true that people shut themselves and don’t talk about sex in India - A TABOO.
Conclusion
By highlighting these taboos I meant that they still exist but we shouldn’t forget we have overcome many and that’s a big deal. These darker issues can’t be ignored I wish whosoever reads will contribute to this change a bit. Raising your voice is the first step towards a stronger society. It is important the one who is going through will only talk or raise their voice, all of us can contribute to this by just talking to each other about such sensitive and social issues openly!
Written by - Chavvi Gupta
Edited by - Nidhi Verma
Written by - Chavvi Gupta
Edited by - Nidhi Verma
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