A Call for Respect

A Personal Reflection on Respect and SocietyUntitled Part 1

I don't know what to say or how to react. It is heartbreaking to see the Kolkata case all over social media. I know that every woman and girl can feel it deeply. This issue has made me reflect on our generation. Where do we stand now? What are we really doing? Some claim that we live in an awakened generation, but is it truly the case?

Personally, I struggle with living in my generation. As a woman, we are achieving so much, but what about respect? I don't see respect around me. Nowadays, boys — or so-called men — are becoming increasingly disrespectful. I hear them speaking crudely about women, making comments like, "Oh, that girl is so flat," or "She has a great body," or even, "She looks so bad, my maid looks better." I hear them saying they need to "test" a girl before marrying her, and categorizing women as "marriage material" or not. I am not "material." I am just a girl — the little girl my parents raised, who once believed the world was only full of rainbows and unicorns.

I do not want to feel insecure about everything. I do not want to feel awkward when men speak like this around me. I want to call them out, but they just respond with, "Chill! Don't be so feminist." It's not about feminism; it's about wanting respect. I want men in my generation to show respect, not just to me but to all women. Even if they're talking about someone they don't know, why spew nonsense? They don't want a girlfriend who dances on reels, but they're the ones who watch such reels. It's hypocrisy!

Another troubling aspect of our generation is the expectation that girlfriends or wives should work and excel in household chores simultaneously. Personally, I don't mind doing both, but I also need help sometimes. When a man helps out, he's labeled a "simp." I don't want to hear that "this is what girls are for." Don't define me or my worth. I can define my own value. I can handle both responsibilities, but I need respect.

Our boys aren't posting about the rape case because it's considered uncool. What they find cool are YouTube influencers' fights and controversies. They say not all men are the same, so why aren't all men supporting now? Because it might seem uncool. I especially dislike the dismissive attitude towards women. Where is our culture of respecting women? Where being a woman once meant being revered as a goddess? I don't remember our culture teaching us to disregard women. When I look back, I see brave women like Mata Sita, Radharani, and Draupadi. We come from a rich culture where men fought for their women and where women were celebrated. We have a history of wars fought for women's respect. But what have we done to that culture? Are we truly the same?

I want men around me to be gentle not only in their actions but also in their words. I want a world where I am celebrated, where I can embrace my femininity and nature.

We want not only safety but also RESPECT!