Why are sons the only ‘Sun’ of our lives?

A couple in my society has donated this huge Ganesh idol for society Ganesh festival this year. They also sponsored the first day of pooja and Prasad. This all seemed religious, generous and normal until I heard the reason why they did so. They have two beautiful daughters 10 and 7 I think, yet they had been praying for a son for many years. Early this year they were blessed with one, hence the offering to the Lord for his magnanimity.

I am surprised that we are still yearning for sons; that too an urban couple living in an urban city with the husband working for a Multinational Corporation.

In another incident, the other day when I was visiting a relative, she mentioned another lady was pregnant and instantly added she hoped they have a son, since between the two brothers they already have three daughters. It is very disturbing that beliefs that only a son could complete the family and up the status of the woman in the society are still followed.

It is believed that it is the son who would

1. Take care of the parents in old age
2. Carry forward the family name.

I strongly disagree with both these arguments.

In fact many instances in my close acquaintances have proved that ultimately it’s the daughter that comes to the rescue of the ailing parent/s. So where ‘taking care’ of parents is concerned more often than not it’s the daughter that takes the lead.

The other argument of wanting a son would be – ‘carrying the family name’. As I mentioned in one previous post, many women nowadays choose not to change their names post marriage so there you go. The name stays on. Also many couples now are choosing to use both last names of parents for their child so that the father’s as well as the mother’s name is carried forward.

In a country where the women are earning more medals than the men in Olympics why are we still praying for sons.  In a country where women are earning not only in corporate jobs but working at par with men in the fields why do we still yearn boys?

I remember receiving a box full of sweets from a family friend when they had a boy. But when they had a girl, all we received was a whatsapp message. Why do we not send out sweets to the community when a girl child is born? I have seen a few people I know showing banal enthusiasm when a girl is born and secretly wishing it were a boy. It is grossly unfair when women participate in this bias and want boys too.

It’s us women who have to hold hands and encourage each other to move forward. Be stronger. Together we can achieve the equality status that we strive for. Stop wanting only boys. Pray for a healthy child, does not matter if it’s either of the genders. Children are a blessing, not just boys.