Women will continue to be the second sex and be forced to confine to the kitchen if society is not ready to reconstruct gender identities, socio-cultural critic T. Muraleedharan has said.
He was addressing a two-day seminar on ‘Politics of gender equality’ organised by the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) in connection with its diamond jubilee State conference at S.N. College, Nattika, on Tuesday.
“Patriarchy is the basic character of the Malayalee psyche. Male-dominated family structure has been celebrated as an ideal social model. If the existing model is hindering social development, it should be reconstructed. It is an illogical fear that the reconstruction of the existing model will lead to anarchy,” he said.
The dominating middle class was determining the social culture here. The voice of the basic class, which was ready for a revolutionary change, had been silenced.
“The Pink Police, which is meant for protecting women, are scaring them away from public places. When police and moral police are snatching their rightful space at the public spaces, they are forced to search for hideouts. Issuing ration cards in the name of a woman alone will not bring her freedom. Unlike the uniform family structures, modern society needs variety in family structures,” Dr. Muraleedharan pointed out.
Social activists K.T. Shamshad Hussain, and K.P.N. Amritha presented papers. KSSP former State president T. Radhamani presided over.
On the second day of the seminar, social activists J. Devika, Anagh, and Seethal Shyam will present papers.
