In many Indian households, we still see women being the last ones to eat, getting to eat only the leftovers, sacrificing their food so that others can eat their stomachs full, etc. From sacrificing their food to their dreams, Indian women do it all to ensure the well-being of their family.
Recently, a reel was shared on Instagram by an account named tims_island. The video features an Indian couple having a meal together. The husband, who is neck-deep engrossed in his phone, signals his wife to serve him more rice. The wife takes rice from her own plate without the husband noticing and serves it on his plate. This video highlights the unhealthy sacrifices that women make to ensure the welfare of their partners and family members.
Woman Giving Up Food For Husband
The viral video has sparked a debate on Twitter, and many are calling out the misogynistic attitude of the man and terming the relationship toxic. Some even rightly noted what a huge red flag the man was. While some claimed this video could be scripted and the couple were probably acting, this problem is a hard-core reality in Indian society.
While women have been raised to be nurturing and sacrificing since childhood, why isn’t society bothering to teach men to do basic things like serve their own food, wash their own plates, fetch a glass of water for themselves, etc.? When are men going to be taught that they need to respect women and treat them equally?
Women like the one in the video who sacrifice even their basic needs like food are glorified. This is the norm, and any woman who dares to step outside the box is shamed, blamed, and judged. When are women going to realise that glorification is just a manipulative method used to exploit them?
From the man asking his wife to serve while he is busy scrolling through his phone to not paying attention to her while having a meal together and not even bothering to ensure she is well-fed; the man’s acts are typical entitled male behaviour spotted in men with deeply internalised patriarchy. These men are everywhere, in your house and mine, but how long are men going to have this "entitled" life? That might have been the case with our previous generations, but as millennials and Gen Zers, aren’t we supposed to break that cycle?
One of the comments under this video on Twitter asked if women like this really existed in the universe. Sadly, yes, women like this do exist in at least one family that we know of, and in many cases, that could be our own. Haven’t we ever seen our own mothers sacrificing in some way at the dining table so that the rest of the family is well-fed?
We are enraged at seeing these videos online; we share them, comment on them, or write about them. But how many of us call out this misogynistic behaviour in men in real life? I’ve seen this entitled male behaviour in so many families, including mine, but earlier I never had the courage to call it out. In fact, I’ve been forced to be the woman in the video, and that’s when I dared to stand up for myself. But how many women do that? It’s not our fault; it’s just the way we were raised.
Only a handful of us have that awakening at some point, and when we do, society ostracises us. A lot of women are aware of how much they are being taken advantage of but don’t speak up, fearing social judgement and criticism. But for how long are we going to let the patriarchy treat us like doormats? The fairy godmother is just a myth, sister; we have no choice but to be our own heroes. Because if we don’t, no one will.
Suggested Reading: Getting Rid Of Gender Bias Against Women? Start From The Dining Table
Views expressed by the author are their own
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