𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥; 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

Your daughters aren’t exhibition pieces. They’re humans with emotions, ambitions and dreams for their own lives. Respect that.

“Don’t seek a better half — find your matching half who shares your quirks and hobbies.”

~Farheen Viquas

Imagine inviting someone into your home for tea, only for them to critique your child’s appearance, weight or ambition. Parents should never place their daughters, especially those of *marriageable age*, in vulnerable positions where strangers judge them based on superficial traits.

Why give anyone the chance to point out perceived flaws instead of celebrating their strengths?

Every girl deserves to be seen for who she truly is, not how she measures up to someone else’s standards.

Let’s create an environment of acceptance and love, where our daughters can shine without the burden of unwarranted judgments.

We have to start somewhere, don’t we? So, I’ve decided to *𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐭* those who pit boys and girls against each other in competition, and those who perpetuate the ‘𝐫𝐚𝐣𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐚’ syndrome.

This mentality has existed for decades, but the most troubling part is that it persists even today. What have we really changed since then? We’ve gone from striking rocks to creating fire to sharing information at lightning speed through smartphones — yet, our attitudes remain the same.

Despite our technological advancements, women in space, under the sea and on mountains, the 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝.

Educated families with wellness-focused lifestyles and 24/7 access to social media are quick to follow the latest fashion and health trends. Yet, their approach to their daughters often remains stuck in the past.

What you see in images and happy stories on social media about young girls isn’t the complete picture of their situation in India. There are countless girls whose stories remain untold, hidden from the public eye.

Nobody truly knows what they’re enduring. Sadly, while some mothers may be living their best lives, they neither support their daughters nor recognise the troubling realities of how these young girls are treated at home.

Don’t be blind to what’s happening around you. Look closely — what has really changed? It’s time to recognise that trends should also include valuing and empowering our daughters.

To those who still say, “𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐞𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐚” — as if having a son is the ultimate achievement — it’s time to shift that perspective.

We must bridge this gap by creating true acceptance and love for our daughters, encouraging them to shine in a world that often casts shadows over them.

Don’t let a *𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐠-𝐢𝐧-𝐭𝐡𝐞-𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥* mindset hold your daughters back. They are unique individuals with endless potential — let them leap boldly into the world and shine.

Believe me, even in these times, unconscious bias persists and to unfathomable limits.