The problems Indian boys face and how feminism can remedy the problems

Kannammaa has the reputation of hating and vilifying Indian boys <rolls eyes>. Well, I guess they don't see that by fighting for equality, many of the problems Indian boys face due to patriarchy will be dismantled. Here's a list of the problems Indian boys face due to patriarchy:

1. Little boys are as sexually abused as little girls, the ratio is almost equal but the sexual abuse of boys isn't seen as something possible. Male victims risk being branded gay if sexually abused by men and weak if sexually abused by women so they don't come out with their stories of sexual abuse and many become sex offenders and violent in later age due to this suppression.

2. While boys have greater chances to study further and be ambitious, they are often forced to study the course that can bring a job that comes with most money, speedy house and vehicle loans ASAP.

3. The pressure to study well is greater on boys than girls because girls can just be married off but boys need to score high and get a well paying job, go abroad so that he can take care of his parents, marry his sisters off and then get married himself.

4. Boys can't be at home without a job even for a small period after completing degree. They'll be called useless and thanda soru. It gives a lot of mental torture and self worth takes a beating - they feel like a failure. Girls don't face this - this period is for them to learn cooking and focus on beauty to appeal to the marriage market.

5. A boy cannot choose to stay at home and manage the house - remember how the men who are house-husbands in the Neeya Naana show were sniggered at when they describe how they do housework? No one sniggers when a woman says how she mans a robotic arm - it evokes admiration. This is because of stereotyped tasks - when a man does 'perceived female tasks' he's looked down upon but when a woman does 'perceived male tasks', she's admired.

Kannammaa is trying to change these circumstances for boys by equalising things for and to girls.

1. We say that males can be victims too by battling toxic masculinity - we say that boys should be in touch with their emotions and that it's okay to cry, be vulnerable, sensitive and weak. It's being human, not 'potta'.

2. We encourage girls to study further and be ambitious so that they can help their brothers, lightening their burden by financially contributing to the family as equals.

3. We lobby for girls to not be married fresh out of school or college and tell them to focus on education and getting a job and work for at least five years so that they can be financially independent and pay their own debts and take care of their expenses thus not burdening their brothers and parents. This equality will not depress boys who are short of what patriarchy says they must be as girls will fill in the gaps.

4. We encourage boys to do housework and call it survival skill that everyone should know. We aim to get to the point where housekeeping is considered an important topic as SpaceX so that men being homemakers won't engender scorn.

So, yeah, we're not only helping girls. We are helping boys too in the ways you didn't see until now.

Feminism will expire when the day where a woman flying a fighter jet and a man taking care of the house are seen as normal and human dawns.

But, feminism alone can't achieve this. Indian parents need to raise and treat sons and daughters equally, from the making of their own bed to the opportunity to study and work abroad. If not now then when we become parents - change for the better is better late than never.