We have such gender discrimination in our country that we have created two different worlds, one is for the males and one for females, if you are buying clothes for a newborn, what color do you buy? The general rule these days is that girls are more likely to wear pink and boys are more likely to wear blue. Girls and boys are mostly just kids, so why should they be treated like they're from different worlds, with very different interests?
Beyond the difference in their anatomy, girls and boys aren't that different and should not be treated like they are from separate places. After all, there is no right or wrong way to act as a male or female now. Girls should not be imagined as frilly fairy princesses, while boys shouldn't be thought of as monster-truck drivers. Girls can be in the army and boys can be fashion designers or beauticians and chefs.
It doesn't really matter who thinks this way. So parents should seriously think about the effect of the choices they make for their children which will affect them for the rest of their lives. Give a thought seriously to this idea when next you buy a birthday gift for your child. If you want your kids to find their own path, make sure you aren't paving it in pink or blue for them.
RIDA BATOOL RIZVI,
Karachi, May 7.