These two exhibits in the Chennai international air port fascinated me. It speaks a lot about the way gender segregates children in our community. Even in play there is exclusiveness.
Every time I hear strong opinions about gender identity, I feel uncomfortable because we define humanity into our gender specifics. Now we have added transgender into the group making humanity into three separate gender groups.
Although gender specific consideration might be important on socio-cultural-educationl matters, I wonder whether we loose the cohesiveness that we need as one humanity, where gender, caste, colour, religion, rural or urban do not separate us, but add to the richness of of the human diversity.
I am senior citizen in age! I look different from an adolescent person or a child! But I still hope that all of us are drawn together by a sense of togetherness because we are humans with a common journey of life from birth!
When I hear the hooting from the car from behind because I am slow on the road, I feel the differences made even more public and loud. But what is needed is to recognise that we drive differently, but we are co-travelleors on the road!
In a medical college, I feel we are almost dividing the academia into students and faculty by walls of separation. So it was refreshing to hear that at St Stephen college, there is only junior and senior residents, not students or teachers! We journey together in life, in learning and in becoming!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
