CHROMOSOME - RUBY

 

CHROMOSOME

 

           I was a very ambitious girl, with a lot of talent I discovered in myself. But I just can only express some in this society because I don’t have a “Y” in me. You think I am crazy, but really not.

 A “Y” what is that?

          I and martin were twins. Our parents were eagerly waiting for a boy child if I told the truth, “only a boy child.” But I was a surprise. They were very much tense about me even from childhood. But I didn’t know why? The olden days were very happy, we were enjoying each and every second of our life. Dad gifts us toys every new year. Martin will get his favorite truck, and he will be happy for the whole year. Dad bought me dolls and teddy bears, but I was unhappy because I loved playing with those trucks. Whenever I ask my mom why I was gifted with a doll and him with those trucks, even though I love to play with cars and trucks, no one gives me that; she scolds me and tells me that you are a girl. He is a boy; you are different. You should only play with Dolls, not the trucks. Discrimination, even in the toys, exists.

          My little mind was confused and unhappy; I could not play with my favorite toy because I was a girl. I started thinking, what is a girl? And what is a boy? I and martin were born together; we have the same color, same age, speak the same language; then why I am inferior to him? By the time we grew old, the discrimination had become a never-ending saga. This judgment had dominated my life.

            

 We have our food together every day. And we share our experiences and feeling of that day with each other. Martin always talks about his achievements in sports and other extracurricular activities. Mom and dad are very happy and proud to hear that. Still, when I got a gold medal in one of the school sports events, they just scolded me for participating in sports other than in arts or literature.

I told you to participate in the arts; can’t you do a dance or sing a song?

Why are you always behaving like a boy? Be a girl, you are a girl, don’t forget it – mom always scolds. I became irate and went to my room, then she scolded me again not for washing the plates I was eating. She cleans dad’s, martin’s, and her plates but not mine. I don’t know why. I feel so alone at my own home. I can’t understand sometimes they love me but sometimes not. She doesn’t force my brother to do these household works but scolds me for not doing it. Are these works only assigned to Girls? I was full of  questions  which no one could give me an answer, or no one tried to.

                                                   

          When I was 10 or 12, I and martin were playing with our neighbor friends. I got stains on my skirts. I didn’t know what it is and I was not hurt, but where was this blood coming from. I ran to mom and told her the thing. She hugged me tight, kissed me on the forehead, and told me about the menstrual cycle and monthly periods. That day dad brought me so many chocolates and food. My uncle gifts me dresses, and I was extremely happy that day even though there was a little pain. But happiness doesn’t last long. After that, I was restricted from playing, going outside with my friends. I didn’t know why I was banned. From then, my world has reduced inside the 4 walls of the house. My house was my kingdom, and I am the queen with no power.        

  Once when we were studying in 10th, one of our friends called us for a night birthday party. We came back home happily after school in the thought of the party, we ironed the dress, did our homework early, did all our work, and were ready for the party, but when we told mom and dad about the party, I was already rejected without even hearing my words. But Martin was allowed to go to the party even though we were the same age.

“You are grown up now. Don’t go here and there at night be at home.”

 I cried the whole night thinking that they didn’t love me because I am a girl. Every time I feel useless, I have no importance in the house and society. My society sees only me like a machine with no feeling or pain who does all the work, takes care of the family, and is always at home.

  I and martin both were good at studies and passed high school with excellent marks. He got admission to a reputed college for higher education. I also wished to study further and make my own career, but family and society didn’t allow me. They told me that this education is enough and you should marry now and make a family. But I am just 21. I always think how lucky martin is; he can wear his favorite dress, play with his favorite toys, study what he wants, and don’t want to marry at 21 or 22. I wished I were a boy. Not only me but every girl at least once had dreamt of being a boy.

“I didn’t want to marry now.”

“I want to enjoy my life, find a job for me and earn for myself.”

“From childhood, I lived according to your wishes. I was always inferior to Martin; we both are made up of DNA and proteins. The only difference I could find is I don’t have a “Y” in my chromosomes. Is that a big problem”?      

  This is not a story but the life of every girl. There are several things in society that a girl cannot do because she lacks a “Y.” From childhood, we have been discriminating them even in toys, by their dress color, dress type, amount of food given to both, work given to both. We are making women inferior and trying to empower them simultaneously. Every change should happen from the base, from home. We should treat both our son and daughter equally and teach them to respect each other to reduce abuses against women. We should realize that “XX” and “XY” are equal.             

                                                                                                    RUBY (120421)