വിവാഹ സമ്മർദ്ദവും പെൺകുട്ടികളുടെ വളർത്തലും; മനസ്സ് തുറന്ന് നടി കനിക മാൻ: ഞെട്ടിക്കുന്ന വെളിപ്പെടുത്തലുകൾ

Kanika Mann has opened up about the pressure women face to get married and how, from a young age, they are often taught to mould themselves into an "ideal" daughter-in-law. The Bigg Boss 20 contestant recalled that people around her saw turning 22 as a sign she was ready for marriage.

Speaking to Siddharth Aalambayan, the Naagin actor said, "I am being pressurised for marriage for the last 10 years. 22 gives the feeling that you are ready now. Yes, you look beautiful. Perfect."

The actor also said these expectations begin much earlier, with girls taught household responsibilities as part of their upbringing. "And it happened to us too. The first thing we were taught as children was housework," she said.

"Of course, the rest of the things you're doing, studying in school, were all there. But a girl must know how to do household work. Whether it's cleaning or cooking, how do they live at home?" she added.

'How should you behave with whom?'

Kanika said the expectations go beyond knowing how to manage a household. Girls are also taught how to dress, behave and conduct themselves based on what is considered appropriate for a future daughter-in-law.

She recalled an incident involving a relative who questioned her choice of clothing at home. "I remember a relative of mine coming over. She asked my family, 'Why do I wear leggings at home?' So what kind of clothes do you wear at home?" the actor recalled.

Gender conditioning

Dr Rimpa Sarkar, clinical psychologist, PhD, Sentier Wellness, Mumbai, highlighted that teaching cleaning, cooking, and household management is not inherently gender conditioning.

"These are useful life skills for everyone. The conditioning begins when the responsibility is taught primarily to girls, when boys are not expected to develop the same skills, or when a girl's ability to perform domestic work is linked to her worth as a woman or her suitability as a wife," the expert said.

She further explained how parents raise daughters with household skills without making those skills a prerequisite for being considered marriageable or good. She suggested that parents teach their daughters to live independently rather than prepare them for marriage.

"The same standards should ideally apply to sons. Cooking, cleaning, budgeting and managing a home should be presented as basic competencies that help a person function independently, regardless of gender or relationship status," Dr Rimpa added.