Don’t Think Of It As A Privilege, But A Duty: Mommy-To-Be Anushka Sharma On Having A Boy!

The death and the forced cremation of the Dalit woman from Hathras sparked a nationwide protest. Hundreds of citizens, activists and politicians gathered at Jantar Mantar on Friday (October 2, 2020), demanding justice for the victim while asking Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to resign. And just when the anger was mounting, another similar incident in UP’s Balrampur has added fuel to the fire. Another Dalit woman was gang-raped and murdered by two men. While several Bollywood celebrities reacted strongly against the unfortunate incidents and raised their voices, actress Anushka Sharma spoke about the extremely ‘myopic vision’ of thinking of a male child as a privilege.

Amid the increasing cases of rape in the country, the mom-to-be reminded the parents that they shouldn’t look at having a male child as a privilege, but rather as a ‘duty’ to raise him to treat a woman with respect.

Instagram

Taking to her Instagram stories, Anushka wrote, “In our society, having a male is seen as a ‘privilege’. Of course, it’s no more a privilege than having a girl child but the fact is that this so-called privilege has been viewed incorrectly and with an extremely myopic vision. The only ‘privilege’ is that one has the opportunity to raise a boy in a way that he respects a girl. That’s your DUTY as a parent to society. So don’t think of it as a PRIVILEGE.”

“The gender of the child doesn’t make you privileged but it is actually the responsibility you owe to society to raise a boy so well that women feel safe and protected,” she added. 

Instagram/Anushka Sharma

While reacting to the horrific incidents, Anushka had also hit out at the ‘monsters’, asking if there is any fear left in the minds of people. In an Instagram story, the actress wrote, “The horrific story of Hathras gangrape has devastated me…I sincerely hope that strictest punishment is given to the barbaric men who have carried out such a horrific, inhuman act on a young life and caused her family irreparable pain.”

Instagram/Anushka Sharma

Also read: Here’s How India Has NOT Changed 5 Years Since The Nirbhaya Incident

Talking further about the terrifying Balram gangrape, the actress stated, “Barely any time has passed and we are hearing of another brutal rape! In which world do such monsters think they can do this to a young life. This is beyond comprehension, so distressing. Is there any fear in the minds of such men? How do we, as a society, put fear in them and protect our women? #NoMercyForRapists #Balrampur.”

Instagram/Anushka Sharma

On September 14, a 19-year-old Dalit woman was brutally gang-raped by four men in Haathras. With serious bruises in her spinal cord and neck, she was fighting for her life in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital since then, and on September 29, she succumbed to her injuries. The teenager’s body was cremated in an open field in Hathras a day later in the middle of the night without the family’s consent with neither of the parents present. Another shocking incident came to light from Balrampur merely two weeks after the Hathras gangrape was reported. If that doesn’t anger us, what will!?

Such heinous crimes are just a stark reminder that nothing has changed since the brutal Nirbhaya rape case and it’s been almost eight years since then. Where are we going as a nation?

Featured Image: Instagram/Anushka Sharma