Can Woman be the Head of the Family? If so How? And if not Why?
Realizing that, in any patriarchal society, man is always the head of the family, if, women have to even try to change this scenario, they have to make a concerted effort towards the goal.
Let us analyze why, man has for centuries been the head of the family. Through the ages, man has been the bread winner of the family, and he has the physical strength to protect his family. These two basic factors have helped man to retain the position of the head for so very long. Now, in the present scenario, things have changed a lot, and now women are fast marching ahead in their pursuit of equality with men. They are now, as well educated as the men, and in some cases even more than the men. In several cases women are even earning as much or even may be more than men. Now, this situation is becoming difficult for the men as,. it gives the women a chance of contemplating, becoming the head of the family. Once she has acquired the status of the bread winner, she has qualified at least in one avenue to displace him from his eternal superiority. This implies that, women have now acquired the potential of conducting the family in its social and financial streams. However, can women protect the family from any kind of physical aggression from any quarter? Here I think she lags far behind the capacity of men in this sphere and, is likely to continue to do so. It is her weak nature and physical weakness that prevents her from entering into the man’s shoes wholly. Regarding the physique, women are far behind the men and are not likely to make up this deficiency, as this is God’s gift to women.
Alright, let us for a moment think that women can surely take up reins of the family, and head it just like the men have been doing hitherto. Now, the biggest hurdle that she will have to confront in achieving her targets will be man himself. Men who have been bosses in their homes for near centuries, will they ever allow this newly acquired status to women? Most certainly not. They will use all their physical strength to overcome this new menace. The battle with man, he will very naturally fight tooth and nail to retain his unearned identity in the family. With this chief obstacle in front of women, to supremacy in the family, I do wonder if ever the dream of woman heading the family can ever be realized.
Thus, though women have become competent enough to head the family, the male counterpart will resist her rise to this position and she will have to succumb to his dictates. So, though she can, she will not be able to achieve this goal in the near future.
