A short story written by Akash Roy Choudhary about a boy seeing gender stereotypes and raising questions about them. I wish all of us were brave enough, like Rajesh, to ask questions!
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As a child there were many thoughts that would just make you wonder about the way of things. Rajesh, the youngest child in a family of 4 was almost always in the limelight. He grew up in an orthodox family where questions asked about certain unspoken rules were treated like slaps on the parents' faces.
But, curiosity is the prime notion of knowledge. Maybe due to this sole reason , he had difficulty growing up following some "norms".
"Mom why does father always sit in that chair ?" (pointing out to the chair in the middle of dinner table)
"Why do you stop laughing when dad and his friends enter the room ?"
"Why do you allow me to go out all night but not Samiksha Didi, even after sunset ? It makes her sad."
Every time he asked, he received the same answer; "It's the way things are in our family. If you want something different, why don't you go try living with one of your friends' families?"
So, one day he stopped asking questions. He started to act to them. The day his deeds brought a change in his family was the day he stopped questioning about this norms.
All he was left with, was a smile seeing his mother laugh freely.
Some things are hereditary, yes but there are ideas which are born naturally irrespective of the genes, race, gender or social status.
-Akash Roy Choudhary
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