International Journal of Movement Education and Social Science ISSN (Print): 2278-0793 IJMESS Vol. 7 Special Issue 1 (Jan-June 2018) www.ijmess.org ISSN (Online): 2321-3779 WHY WOMEN’S STUDIES? THEORIZING SOCIAL DISABILITY AND STATUS OF WOMEN IN INDIA Priyam Sinha the powerful tend to dominate and dictate the (M.A. Women‟s Studies, Tata Institute of rules of existence or as the popular saying Social Sciences, Hyderabad, India) goes „Samrath ko nahi dosh Gosain‟. So if we do want to bring about a transformation in this society we need to look into two things: Abstract „Equity‟, ensuring the „good for all‟ includes The purpose of initiating Women‟s Studies as women and „Sustainability‟ that would ensure a course by UGC was to critically intervene the availability of these resources for the future into academics. There is a commonly adapted generations to enhance their capabilities. belief that Women‟s Studies are for the sole Women and men are born with a set of innate benefit of women and women‟s rights which in abilities and these can be enhanced through turn would result in men being treated as social conditioning and access to resources subordinates due to role reversal. This is a but if we create barriers then the growth of misconception as feminism advocates social women will always remain stunted. Feminist justice and equality. Women‟s Studies methodology of social science research is an intervene in studying the various forms of analysis of the way of life where patriarchy is oppression due to patriarchal set up which is enmeshed in every domain. In order to based on caste, class, disability and sexuality. understand this society women‟s role in the Women‟s Studies also take on the task of society needs to be analyzed and studied providing a more accurate view of our history within the academic discourse. The National where women were rendered as invisible as Policy on Education, 1986 is a positive change their tasks were demarcated as non economic in the right direction supporting gender activities. By engaging with Women‟s Studies mainstreaming and sensitization about issues you do not only take a task on which we can that remained silenced for many years. learn and evolve, moving things in the right direction from here on, in our current day. The Role of Men in Advocating Women’s Rights National Policy on Education, 1986 introduced The impact of patriarchy might appear to be Women‟s Studies as a course in colleges by seemingly benign but it creates impediments to playing the role of a positive interventionist in a ensure that women retain their subordinate male dominated regressive society. This paper position in the society. Male reformers such as would elaborate on the importance of feminist Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotibha Phule methodology in studying the society. and Raja Ram Mohan Roy stepped into the picture trying to be the messiahs who would Keywords: adaptive preference, gender advocate women empowerment by focusing mainstreaming, ideal type, patriarchy, on three issues- abolishing child marriage, sati social justice, sensitization, sexual division pratha and reintegrating widows in the society. of labor, vulnerability Beharam Malabari argued that male reformers stepping in to ensure women‟s access to education also represented the hypocrisy Introduction dominating the society where men would Development means a positive change and the continue to be the decision makers of the society where we live thrives on the fact that family and confine women within the private domain. Priyam Sinha Page 96 International Journal of Movement Education and Social Science ISSN (Print): 2278-0793 IJMESS Vol. 7 Special Issue 1 (Jan-June 2018) www.ijmess.org ISSN (Online): 2321-3779 Gandhi too tried motivating women to get jeopardizes women‟s lives by making them educated and participate in the Salt March as dependent on their father‟s in their initial years their knowledge and expertise would help them and later on their husband‟s. Girls are in being proficient mothers. Male reformers socialized from the very beginning to look after wanted women to get educated, access the the domestic chores and make adaptive public domain but not question traditions and preferences as per the social norms. Sen and customs that sanctioned the primary role of Dreaze argued that violence against women women as care givers and looking after begins even before their birth resulting in the domestic chores. The conflict between skewed sex ratio in the country. Female modernity and tradition can be traced to the infanticide and female feticide are the denial of time when male reformers felt that modernity basic human rights and prevails in various meant blindly following the West. This would parts of Indian society. Discrimination towards reduce the dependence of women on their the girl child is made even in allocation of male counterparts which in turn would result in resources and protein rich food prior to their the loss of the ideals of Indian womanhood marriage which adds to their malnutrition. built on the self sacrificing and submissive Madhu Kishwar also elaborated on dowry nature of women. “One is not born a woman, being a reason to justify violence on young rather becomes a woman”. (Beaviour, 1969) brides. When the natal family of the brides are unable to match up to the demands then Socialization And Sexual Division Of Labor brides bear the brunt of their anger in many Gender is a social construct and solely cases resulting in dowry deaths or suicide. dependent on one‟s socialization since Promilla Kapur and Amita Tyagi also studied childhood. Family plays a vital role in how majority of the marital adjustments are developing a self perception and the model of made by a wife and marriage is one of the an ideal type of masculinity and femininity. most oppressive institutions in a woman‟s life. Goffman argued how the sexual division of Scholars such as Ritu Menon, Tanika Sarkar, labor projected in the family creates a role Kannabiran, Karlekar, Uberoi, Krishnaraj and model for imitation by the children. The psyche many others have time and again elaborated of a child is molded through the demarcation in on how gender discrimination takes place toys and hobbies that are inculcated since their within the private domain. birth. Boys are encouraged to play with The prevalence of breadwinner paradigm weapons and vehicles whereas girls are signifies how Palriwala clearly states that the motivated to play with kitchen sets and dolls. male head of the household is the earning Hoschild argued that the behavior is eventually member of the family so all important decisions internalized by men and women and they regarding finances are to be made by him. A behave accordingly in order to be accepted in woman is expected to comply with the social the society. Pink collar professions have come norms and this leads to curtailment of her up as a resultant of providing an area of movement or access to education which could ensuring employment to women for providing lead to her becoming self sufficient. In services based on care giving. The work of air Palriwala‟s in depth analysis of the structure of hostesses, beauticians and telephone service the family and demarcation of tasks in rural agencies are based on the ability to look Rajasthan it was evident how women have no provide care and emotional labor which bargaining power. She is constantly under the reiterates the stereotypes in the society triple authority of the male head of the regarding feminine behavior. household, his wife and her own husband. Scholars, Sen and Nussbaum argued how There is also seniority in the distribution of violence and the fear of violence is what food and the woman who cooks the meals is Priyam Sinha Page 97 International Journal of Movement Education and Social Science ISSN (Print): 2278-0793 IJMESS Vol. 7 Special Issue 1 (Jan-June 2018) www.ijmess.org ISSN (Online): 2321-3779 always the last one to eat. So, in case of any was set up in the SNDT Women‟s University, unexpected guests women forego their meal in Bombay that was declared officially a centre in order to cater to them. Preferential treatment 1985. towards the son is meted out from the very Initially the women‟s movement represented beginning as he is seen as the asset of the only the demands of the upper caste and class family. Hence, girls are neither provided by largely ignoring the marginalized identities sufficient nutritious food nor access to such as sex workers, disabled women, Dalit education to develop their skills and become and Muslim women. Being a woman born in a economically independent like boys. patriarchal society anyway leads to a lot of The tasks allocated to women are considered restrictions and the stigmatized identities along as non economic activities and that is why they with their sexuality left them doubly are invisible from the structure of national marginalized. Women‟s Studies was accounts. The Census only considers gainful introduced not just as an optional course in employment as economic activities and the colleges but with the larger purpose of tasks such as livestock maintenance, studying the society. Since one‟s sexuality collection of firewood, carrying buckets of becomes one‟s significant identity marker it is water and domestic chores are only imperative to have a clear picture of the impact contributory roles expected to be performed by it has on one‟s life. women. Karlekar argues that the complete Gradually with the initiation of difference disregard of women‟s contribution in the feminism women from marginalized economy and financial dependence on their communities stood up for their rights.