Ratna Pathak Shah’s birthday is on March 18. She is a versatile actor, whether in her widely beloved role as Maya Sarabhai in the comedy show Sarabhai vs Sarabhai or in more socially nuanced films like Lipstick Under My Burkha. She has consistently chosen strong, prominent roles. The actor is also very vocal about women’s rights, actively sharing her perspective on women’s empowerment. On this occasion, let’s take a look at one of her quotes on women’s empowerment, which is a bit nuanced but sheds light on a grim reality.
What did she say?
As per She The People, Ratna shared an important insight on the dynamics of women policing one another within society.
“A woman has been made to become a woman’s worst enemy because she is the one who socialises within the family. She is the one who is laying down all the horrible laws. They’re not laws she has made. They are laws which she has been told to enforce.”
What does this mean?
In a patriarchal setting, a woman not only goes against misogynistic men but also has to face women who enforce patriarchal rules and expectations on other women, limiting their freedom and expression, whether it is relatives, close friends, or family. But this is not something natural.
Women are conditioned by society, taught to shape the family and nurture others. And when societal norms themselves suppress women’s freedom, the women shaping and nurture take it upon themselves to enforce the rules of what is acceptable and what is not. Ratna highlighted a very critical aspect of patriarchal society and how social conditioning plays an important role in turning women against each other, making them agents of patriarchal beliefs.
So in a way, women are both the oppressors and the victims, because of the wider social conditioning. Many women support patriarchy, without questioning the norms, taking that as the norm, and likewise impose it on the next generation. Breaking this cycle is very essential for women empowerment.
