We are growing up in a society where one gender is considered less than the other. The gender that gives the gift of life, is the one considered to be weak. I do not know how this system is supposed to work. The very gender whom without none of us would exist today is the one considered to be less. Isn’t that a strange idea? From a very young age, there are many small things that show children what role men are supposed to have in society and what role women are supposed to play. They’re all small signals, but it’s practically brainwashing little kids and leaving them without a vision of their own. When a daughter is born, they’re usually given kitchen sets and dolls to play with. It’s subtle but it’s a small way of indicating what they’re ‘supposed’ to do. Boys on the other hand, are given cars to play with, instead of playing ‘kitchen’ they are taught to dress up and go to work and play with remote control cars. I’m lucky to have grown up in an environment where I was treated no less than my brother or my male classmates. On the other hand in many households and schools in India, boys are always encouraged to play sports and be athletic but if a girl wants to do the same it’s always discouraged and they are told that it’s not something meant for girls. One of the other major problems in rural India is female foeticide, people in our country have so much disgust for having daughters because they think of them as a burden rather than a blessing. They don’t want the ‘burden’ of having to educate them, educating girls isn’t really a popular ideology in our country. They think it’s a waste of time, energy and money to educate them, then spend money on their weddings just to have them sit at home. If that ideology starts changing, and daughters are considered of a blessing rather than a burden, I think things would be way different today. The marriage system in India is also a little twisted according to me, to be a little more specific, the dowry system. For some strange reason, the bride’s reason are expected to pay the groom’s family whatever they demand. This system clearly indicates that the bride’s parents think that their daughter is some burden that they need to pay someone off to accept her. Despite theDowry Prohibition Act of 1961, it is still an extremely common thing in India. Another problem in majority of our country is the horrible act of domestic violence. Men and women are both victim to this horrible act, but the majority is women. Despite the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005, it is such a major problem. After a girl is married off, she is expected to just sit at home, education and having a career are foreign ideas. In bigger cities of India, where girls are equally as educated as boys and thankfully the upbringing is also a little more equal, the problem comes in when they start earning for themselves. Not always, but very often, men are paid more for the exact same job that women are doing. This is also an extremely unfair system. From a young age, girls are usually told how they’re supposed to look. If they don’t fit society’s beauty standards and if they’re not ‘fair’ or ‘thin’ they’re always told that nobody will marry them. Boys are also pressured, but nowhere as much as girls. After the marriage is done, if due to some unfortunate events the husband’s life comes to an end, the women. Is forced to end her life too, burn herself to death. This further proves my point, that in the marriage the women is considered to have no importance because she isn’t permitted to have a life of her own after her husband’s demise. This horrid act is known as Sati. The Commission of Sati Prevention Act of 1987 has reduced this act majorly but it still exists in small, rural parts of India. Rape and women’s safety isn’t one of our countries strengths either. I don’t think a single women or girl feels completely safe at all times in our country. Personally I don’t think there has ever been a day where I have felt completely safe. Growing up as girls in this world, all of us are often told ‘don’t stay out too late at night, ‘don’t dress like this’. I don’t think this is how we are supposed to grow up. I don’t feel safe going out alone at night, because I fear for my life. There are a million rape cases that take place in our country every day. Women and girls are raped in broad daylight and in the night, the only reason being that they have two x chromosomes. I think the only way we can have a gender neutral society in India is if we tackle the problem from the root. Firstly, the sex ratio in our country needs to be equal, female foeticide needs to stop now. There is a law against it, but our government needs to make sure that no female foetus dies before even starting it’s beautiful journey. Children from a long age need to be treated equally. Girls have as much a right to education as boys do and they should go to school and get their education. No girl in our country should ever feel bad about the fact that she’s a girl or weaker than anyone else. They need to be given equal opportunities, girls should be encouraged as much as boys are for playing sports and pursuing their passions. Nobody should be forced into marriage as a child, they should be able to do whatever they want. Women in our country will have a secure future only If they’re educated, know their rights and our government works towards ensuring they get their rights. The government needs to ensure that women get equal pay at their workplaces and get equal opportunities and the people of our country need to change their mindsets and stop considering girls as a liability. I hope together we can work towards making our country a safer, better and more gender neutral society and first and foremost start by changing our own mindsets.