Actress Manjari Mishra says that while it may seem that men have it easier than women in our society today, the role that men are expected to play is also not easy. She says that earning money and providing for your entire family can get challenging.
“The pressure on men to fulfil the role of the sole breadwinner and provider for their families can be immense. Society often places these expectations on men without considering their own desires and aspirations. Many men indeed sacrifice their own wants and needs to ensure the well-being of their families, often without expressing their own struggles,” she says.
She adds, “In middle-class families especially, where financial stability can be precarious, young boys often take on responsibilities like part-time jobs or tuitions to support their families. This not only requires courage but also deprives them of the typical experiences of youth.”
She says that while today both husband and wife shoulder responsibility, the onus comes on the man to provide. “While times are changing and women are also contributing significantly to household incomes, the societal expectation for men to be primary providers still persists. Even if parents don’t overtly discriminate between genders, there’s often an implicit expectation for boys to take on this role. It’s crucial to recognise and address these societal norms to ensure that both men and women have the freedom to pursue their own paths and aspirations without being constrained by traditional gender roles,” she says.
