My Sins Against Gender Stereotypes

Paroma tagged me on this one and I had to, had to do this one.

If you are a woman,
Have you ever wanted something that is considered ‘manly’ ? Like a basketball, a cell phone, a dog, a camera or a new laptop? A new car or motor bike? Ever wanted to be a pilot? A doctor or not a nurse? And the manliest want of them all – The remote!
As a kid did you enjoy playing with a bat and a ball?
There was a time when books were considered ‘manly’, women authors had to pretend to be men – would you say books are still rather manly – women should want to embroider and crochet?

If you are a man,
Have you ever wanted something that only women are supposed to want – like bags, shoes, clothes, creams, perfumes, babies, flowers? A peaceful home and a happy family? Have you ever been afraid of the dark or of insects?
As a kid did you ever want to play ‘teacher-teacher’, cooking or did you like playing with a doll? Have you ever enjoyed cooking? Bought something in pink? Loved chocolates?
My possible sins:-
1) I was the quintessential tomboy as a child and could climb any tree, every tree. I think I spent a better part of my years between the ages of 5 and 10 on trees. I even made sure all the elders around me spent a better part dissuading me not to try another one of those trees or persuading me to come down with my timid companions who would have been tempted to achieve the same feat only to reach the top and realize they are terrified while I felt I was on top of the world. I loved heights. I think I still do. I remember climbing the tank of our 12th floor building with my sister and there was no railing whatsoever and I got such a high just lying down looking at the sky or staring down at the ground from the enormous height. I felt giddy with excitement.

2) My legs are scarred for life as a result of running through a glass door. Okie I was all of 12 and we were playing hide and seek and I got some 57 stitches on my right leg and my name was etched in the history of the Army Club for being the only girl to have ran through the fibre glass door. From thereon they had a red sign painted on the door and put flower pots in front of them to prevent such accidents.

3) I have carried a my very own small size almirah from the first floor to the ground floor on to a van all by myself with a little help from the driver of course. I don’t wait around for people to come and help me with my luggage ever. I think I am quite strong. Hehehe! Think Pune did that to me. The constant shuffling of houses all those years really helped.

4) I did hate playing with dolls as a child. I much preferred running around, driving my neighbours up the wall, ringing their bells and running away, climbing roofs, walls, exploring, being out of the house constantly. I hated sitting around in one place playing "Houses". I had some 10 Barbie dolls whose hair I chopped off out of boredom. I had toy trains and cars that Dad got me and I loved playing with them.

4) I somehow don’t think that reading books can even be related to gender stereo types you are either a book worm or you are not one. I have always been one and most of my women friends love reading just as much as I do if not more though our tastes might vary but we are always recommending books to each other.

Come to think of it the term the term Gender Stereotype is losing its significance as times change. I mean there would be a very fine line or maybe the lines are blurred. No more is it about you are supposed to do something a particular way just cause you are a girl/woman. I have realized being girly has its own benefits. I actually fell in love with cooking when I never expected myself to be the sorts who’d be able to whip up a meal but now I can and thank god for that. I do get some strange sense of pleasure knowing the kitchen is clean, the loos are sparkling, my cupboard is tip top and everything is in its rightful place. I am a cleanliness freak and I don’t just do it cos I have to do it but cos I like everything around me in order. I wasn’t born like this but over the years I have become like this. Neatness and orderliness has helped me. So yeah at times I can be as girly as girly can get and at times I can be oh so reckless and refuse to pay heed to traditions. Guess it is about best of both the worlds. It is about being independent, doing your own thing, managing everything. So yes I do it my way.