HeForShe Campaign Launch
February 9, 2022
The Gender Club at Strawberry Fields High School organised a momentous event- the launch of the HeforShe campaign. Launched in 2014 by UN Women with Emma Watson and Farhan Akhtar as ambassadors, and later in India by Menaka Gandhi, HeforShe is an international campaign that aims to create a bold and united front for gender equality. Heforshe is a campaign that has taken the world by storm, right from its inception in 2014. Originally created from a very simple idea, to engage men in the gender equality conversation, HeforShe evolves as the spectrum of gender and identity evolves; an inclusive movement that is not bound or defined by gender but rather a platform on which individuals are empowered to become agents of change in their own unique way to advance equality.
Seventy four years of independence and hundreds of legislations, schemes and programmes later , there are homes and schools in India where girls and women are subjected to inequality ,discrimination and violence on a routine basis; so much so that it is a way of life for them. Women in such households do not question institutionalised discrimination. Not only are women affected by patriarchy, but there are men and gender-non-confirming persons, who face bias and prejudice in their day-to-day life. It’s time to stop defining gender equality movement as a battle between the genders, and see it as a collective front to ensure that everyone gets equal rights and opportunities, regardless of their sex or gender identity.
To facilitate the event and to officially launch the campaign at Strawberry Fields High School, we had with us Ms. Gul Panag, an actor, aviator and entrepreneur, who has broken multiple gender stereotypes and worked for gender equality in a variety of fields. We were indeed pleased to have her as the key speaker.
Ms.Panag initiated the conversation around gender inequality by sharing experiences from her own life that led her to identify gender role stereotypes and thus, consequentially question them. The first pertinent aspect is to move away from the traditional roles assigned to males and females and let individuals choose what they wish to be. This also applies to schools and educational institutions at large. For instance, girls are typically not expected to choose subjects like mathematics and sciences, which largely remain male-dominated. Secondly, families must not confer or ascribe stereotypical identities upon their children. It could be as simple as making choice of vehicle that the girls in their family want to drive. Ms. Panag was always inlined toward motorcycles as compared to the gearless scooters. Although she could make a choice for herself, there are many girls who do not get to make simple choices like this one in their lifetime. Thirdly, patriarchy affects men as well, for they are pressurised to be the breadwinners, earners and providers of the family. It limits their capabilities by restricting men to a certain idea of masculinity. A central aspect of her discussion focused on the role of dialogue, discussion and debate which is the key to bring change. We must continue to work at this cause to be able to see a shift. Each of us can make a difference and is an influencer in our own unique ay and must therefore, use every platform to deliberate on issue of inequality. Finally, we must consider that change can also be brought with firm and subtle actions, and does not necessarily depend on rebellion and aggressive stance. After sharing her insightful perspectives, the speaker answered questions posed by the students. While answering questions about gender inequality in the entertainment industry, Ms. Panag expressed that cinema or art is reflection of a particular society and just as the society is essentially patriarchal, movies are male-centric. Films that have a gender-neutral or masculine characters gather wide audiences as compared to ones that have female lead characters. As a result, there is a huge pay gap in the industry as well, which again is not questioned by many female actors.
The school Principal, Ms. Sangeeta Sekhon appreciated the efforts undertaken by The Gender club and acknowledged the need to increase awareness regarding such issues through discussions and dialogue. Accordingly, the young generation is the torch bearer of this change as they encourage adults to not settle into their existing experiences and conditioning. The Principal also extended her gratitude and highlighted some key points given by the speaker.
Overall, the session was an enriching and interactive one. To culminate the event, the Secretary of the club encouraged the students to take this campaign forward, by registering for the HeforShe campaign and commit to it by filling out a google form, the link to which was shared simultaneously.
