DYMPNA UGWU-OJU - Raising Delia Journal entry 2 .

 

    I had many thoughts going through my mind while reading this essay, it was so touching and powerful it sent chills through my spine. Every child girl or boy deserves an equal chance to survive and thrive.  Gender discrimination and/or inequality starts during childhood. Regardless of gender roles, identities, or expressions, it should be where everyone is equally recognized, respected, and valued. In this essay Dympna Ugwu-oju Raising Delia it seemed as if she was being treated differently from her siblings. On page 183 it states, "But Dad, how come the boys don't have to do anything around here?" Delia asked, her voice devoid of the whininess that usually marked her complaints. "Because they're boys and you're a girl, and it's time you learned that". "Well, being a girl doesn't make me different from the boys right mom?". From reading that I felt as if it's not fair. Just because she's a girl the treatment should be equal. Being hard on one child over the other shows favoritism. Gender disparity starts in childhood, and limits lifelong potential of children around the world- disproportionately affecting girls. Another way to approach the subject of fairness with children is showing empathy not sympathy. Put yourself in someone else's shoes and see it from their point of view. Some parents are hard on their only daughter or son but that only creates such a difficulty. Each child is different and has his/her own temperament. A parent will sense that their success or failure reflects on the children. When in reality each day an individual should have tug and war decision making process within themselves while managing to reconcile the two simultaneously to learn from their own mistakes. Life is complicated, but life is not a problem to be solved, it is a reality to be experienced.