Gender Equality Starts From Home

Being a mother of two boys, I always want my sons to respect women. And basic education starts at home. For the next generation, the examples set at home by parents, and extended family are shaping the way they think about gender and equality.

By teaching certain things I want my boys to respect and inspire future feminist in society.

1. Talk About 

Embrace talking to your kids about gender equality and women’s rights. By talking to your kids about equality between the sexes and what still needs to be done for us to reach a gender-equal world, you’re setting them up to lead the way for a better future for all.  

2. Share the Care Work

From cooking to cleaning or taking care of children and the elderly, women carry out at least two and a half times more unpaid household and care work than men.

Set the example by equally dividing all housework and childcare in your home. Involve boys in care work and household chores from an early age. So they get into the Habit of doing household work 

3. Embrace the Role Model

Role models come in all shapes, sizes, genders, skin tones and cultural backgrounds. Encourage your children to embrace diversity, show them role models from different genders, ethnicities and colour.so they respect all the culture and people around the world.

4. Watch their Language – and Yours

“Man up, you sissy!” or “He throws like a girl,” are comments that are not good towards other genders. It may seem that words are not harmful, but in fact, they reinforce stereotypes, which are the basis of gender discrimination. Stop these comments in the home, and if you find that they are coming up regularly, talk to your son about what does it mean.

5. Teach Him to Take Care of Himself and Others

Get your son to iron his clothes, polish his shoes, make himself a sandwich and do all the things for himself that mothers might be doing for their sons. And then make them responsible for helping others, showing them that both competence and kindness are not only women’s work.

6. No Means 'No'

From a very early age, show them that you respect his right to say what happens with his body, and teach them that he has to do the same for others. If he asks you to stop tickling, for example, stop. But then make sure that you teach him to extend the same courtesy to other people, especially women. While you don’t have to explain the ultimate sexual definition, you can start spelling it out by saying things like, “If she doesn’t want you to touch her like that, you stop immediately.”

7. Show Him, Strong Women, and Gentlemen

Make a point of expressing admiration for or interest in strong women in academia, business and sport to your children, so that they don’t pick up on the ongoing messaging that men are better than women in those areas. Also, allow boys freedom in their identities and behaviours without promoting a stereotype of an “ideal man”.  Allowing more freedom for all of us breaks down power dynamics and the need for rigid roles.

So this women's day teach your son's real meaning of women. So that they respect, inspire all women either your mother, sister and daughter.

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