Women are not looking for men's shoes. The world might be trying a bit too hard

The last few years have witnessed a never-seen-before upsurge in women getting the limelight in all domains and especially on screens. It has come to the point where people are scared to tell stories, real or fictional, without a non-stereotypical female character. From movies featuring women superheroes to web series with sexually overt ladies, it’s as if people behind the camera suddenly took note that the other gender has a voice and now everyone is trying to broadcast it in their own exaggerated ways. While I am certainly glad that women are finally getting the center stage, it’s hard not to notice how many people are trying to latch on to this ‘trend’- some of them don’t even fully understand how best to do so. The critics and so-called whistleblowers have criticized the traditional roles of women so much, that the makers are desperately trying to break the old molds meant for women. Well, that’s great news! The only problem is, they are now trying to cast women in molds created for men! The easiest way of breaking a stereotype for many seems to be the portrayal of women who act, behave and speak like men. And well, we’re more interested in adopting the darker side of the male species, just because it’s so much cooler, isn’t it? Showing a woman smoking, obviously, reflects her confidence - never mind the microscopic ‘Smoking Kills’ message on the bottom right of the screen. A crass sense of humor sprinkled with cuss words- why not, isn’t that the parameter to judge equality between men and women! And there have to be women obnoxiously chasing power the same way men chase it hungrily! Only then, will they seem equivalent? I know it’s sad to be judged by anyone but is it really that bad to question ourselves once in a while? Women, I think we should know this- we are entitled to being who we are, without needing to turn into men to deserve the same amount of acceptance and respect. We have every right to challenge what’s unfair and stand up for ourselves, the way we deem fit, but to be able to do so, we also have a responsibility to distinguish between what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s good and what’s bad for us. Continue Reading https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/world-trying-too-hard-compensate-what-women-have-missed-pandey/