“Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any other possession earth can give.” -David O. McKay.
Do you think that this quote stands up as we continue to get denied our right to freedom to choose? Will this continual denial cause a threat to a free and peaceful life? The right to freedom of choice is an individual’s right of complete autonomy to do things as one wants to, except where it infringes or prevents another from doing what that one wants. It includes freedom to choose the religion, beliefs, desired profession, career, person to marry or not marry someone, same-sex marriage, women’s reproductive rights, and much more.
The popular belief is that women and children are always denied these fundamental rights because they are often categorized as less privileged and are assumed to be easily controlled and taken advantage of. One of the reasons for children not getting the right opportunity to pursue their passion and career along with exposure and awareness is because they are not experienced or mature enough to take their life decisions.
They are forced to choose commonly opted career options instead of something they want to do or follow. Further, women are still being deprived of their natural rights. They are mostly forced to marry a man against their will and sometimes may be abused physically, mentally, and emotionally to conceive a child preferably of ‘male gender’.
Some of the examples of recent happenings of this are as follows;
The most recent example is that 6 college girls nearby Udupi district, Karnataka are staging a protest about not being allowed to wear hijab in their college. As and when they decided to voice up, many controversies started. Girls said, “wearing hijab is their constitutional right and they are not willing to attend online classes which are ‘discriminatory’.”
They also said that “education and rights are equally important”. One student stated in an interview that they are being treated as criminals for demanding their fundamental right to practice their religion. "There are essential rights in each faith and that cannot be denied," the Bengaluru-based lawyer said. This shows how these girls are refuted by their basic fundamental rights to follow and act under their religion, belief, and faith.
In France, a new law is passed criminalizing the use of 'conversion therapy' to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ people. This shows the remarkable change in the mindsets of the people concerning the LGBTQ community. This also highlights that a person can advocate the right to choose the gender identity one wants to keep. Although in India, the supreme court ruled out that consensual sexual activity between adults of the same sex is no longer a crime.
However, same-sex marriages are not legalized in India yet, this hampers the overall legal system of India and also adversely affects the rights of the individual. In addition, the right to choose the partner in same or opposite-sex marriage is not accepted by many families and thus are forced to marry against their consent. However, changes have been brought in society, but same-sex marriages are still considered taboo in many cultures and places.
Furthermore, recently the Indian Parliament passed two landmark acts - the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill – both of which will have a powerful influence on Indian women’s reproductive rights. The elements of the new law that prevent millions of Indian residents from receiving assisted reproductive technology (ART) and surrogacy have also drawn criticism from certain academics. LGBTQ people, same-sex couples, cohabiting heterosexual couples, and single males cannot use these services. The supreme court also reaffirmed the necessity of same-sex couples being accepted in all spheres of society and reaffirmed that their right to privacy includes the freedom to procreate.
Conclusion
In the nutshell, the right to freedom of choice is extremely significant for a person to act and live freely in society. This right should also be documented as a fundamental right of the constitution. It allows the individual to experience absolute freedom in her/his actions. Therefore, helping in gaining the confidence and experience for a happy and satisfied life.
"Freedom is the right to choose: the right to create for oneself the alternatives of choice. Without the possibility of choice and the exercise of choice a man is not a man but a member, an instrument, a thing."
- Archibald MacLeish
Written by – Aastha Monga
Edited by - Kritika Sharma
.jpeg)
0 Comments