India achieved independence from the British on 15th August 1947 but it still has a long way to go before it attains freedom from its old ways. Being a teenager in India can be both stifling and liberating, depending on the circumstances one is exposed to. I often feel that India is facing various various problems and it needs a teenager’s perspective, a youthful touch to alleviate certain problems that serve as major roadblocks in creating a free and enterprising nation.
Sexualisation of Females
Looking from a teenager’s perspective I would say that clothes are our way of expression. It is just like another form of art, figuring out what kind of textures and blooms of colours go together. Women have always been sexualized by society and they are expected to follow certain norms which are ‘appropriate’. But, following old mindsets is becoming a thing of the past. Modernization has brought changes as women have largely started stepping out to enter the professional culture. While men going shirtless to display their abs is masculine and ‘WOW’, a female wearing anything shorter than the knees is still ‘OOPS!’. At the same time the display of six packs is the hallmark of masculinity but a revealing female cleavage- shameless. Is this the broad mindset that will lead the country forward? Do we not have better things to do than looking at what the females are wearing?
Acknowledging Mental Issues
Another hurdle can be seen in shying away from the acknowledgement of mental issues.
Ajay is a boy in his class who doesn’t like a crowd around him and is labelled as a loner. Gaurika from a family of affluent doctors is an overachiever. Anything less than A+ is a calamity in her life which drives her to hysterics. Raju, a simpleton and weakling gets pushed around like an errand boy making him question his identity. MAD! MAD! MAD! If all of them are mad, the school is nothing less than a loony bin!
Mental health is something that is not endemic to the youth, rather it has become pandemic across all age groups. Anxiety, depression, OCD, paranoia, ADHD, split and bipolar and the list is ever-increasing. Pressures, over-exposure and workaholism along with many other factors are driving people nuts but still no regard for MENTAL HEALTH! Are we really willing to let our youth silently suffer because apparently, mental health is NOT a thing to be DISCUSSED OPENLY?
Likewise, there are several other challenges lingering in our society. There is apathy in the judicial system, economic disparity, exploitation of religious sentiments, etc, and there is no doubt that the youth of INDIA is zealously working towards betterment. From a teenager’s perspective, I find that problems in India can certainly be addressed with a youthful spirit. The age-old youthful ideas can not only sensitize the older generation but also maintain a fine balance with the newer one. With efforts from all sections of society, we can definitely make India a more inclusive space for the younger generation who take pride in who they are.
Writer : Umika Sharma
Grade : 10 (Year 2022)/ ICSE Board
Place : Gurugram, India
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