Is Gender Equality Still An Illusion?

I was born in disgrace
No pleasures, no praise
My first cry wasn't anticipated
It was opposite to the picture I had painted
I dreamt of being welcomed as a princess
"Prettified" with fancy shoe and dress
Earn applause and be a centre of the pictures and attention.
It was nothing that I would love to mention.

While I thought my parents too had the boy wish mapped in their cerebrum,
That would produce music on the family drum.
Push the family tree ahead,
Feed them with butter and bread.

But no, my family was different
They were unhappy fearing the social dent
Not wanting their child the sufferings of the world to wear
Perhaps, the reason for all the despair.
What next was told, surprised me throughout
It made me wonder, it made me doubt.

I thought I had been born at the right time.
With strong law for us and fewer crime
With equal rights, in the nation's
But is it still an illusion?

My friend and acquaintance asked me such. | was speechless. Back then, | stammered, tried, but words wouldn't fall out

of my mouth. But today I can express confidently-
"A hands on yes" to equality being still an illusion.

Equality between men and women is a strong debatable topic since a decade now. While few claim its very

presence, numerous will declare it an illusion.
Personally, I agree with the later point of view.

Courtesy- https://www.texasdiversitymagazine.org/gender-inequality-killing-the-american-dream/

Women are still incomplete without a man, as per orthodox views. A divorcee or widow have to face the worst end of it. They are subjected to endless humiliation and insults.

Women face inequalities at different realm of life. Unequal pay at work for equal work is still not an ineffective, old example.

Constant bantering, and sarcastic comments by society add the cherry on the cake. To the cake of illusionary equality. Women are often misjudged by the society. There is no rarity for a woman to be judged on the basis of her clothes. While men are excused for the gravest of crimes, the character of a woman is judged merely on the basis of her clothes. Women are expected to follow a certain code of conduct. An iota of deviation from which subjects them to society's shame and disgust.

For instance, if a girl finds herself comfortable in men's company, she has high prospects of been called shameless.

If she finds travelling fun, she will be likely
called an unstable hippie.
If she finds western clothes comfortable, she will be called characterless.

Why is it more likely for women to be body-shamed? Be a victim to cyber bullying? Be a subject of demeaning, derogatory comments from the society?

Why are women expected perfection? Behave in the most sensible manner while at the same time men are not taught even the prologue of the limitless gospel.

What equality exists if the most developed country like USA could never have a woman president? What equality exists if at the end of all the education, they are expected to settle down and manage the family.

For attaining equality, Indian law has provided women with various benefits to protect themselves. But the implementation is rather poor. The insensitive questioning of the police and lawyers alike is too harsh on the victimised woman, accompanied with derogatory comments from the society. Equality is thereby only an illusion.

"The degree of progress a country has made depends on the degree of progress women have achieved".- B. R. Ambedkar

Ambedkar thus provides us a moment to peep into ourselves and see if we have really progressed or not.