Being a girl is not easy, especially in this time and age. I am a girl.

Seeing bloodshed, violence and dying and ailing people is not my hobby. My tears are my way of conversing with the world. I often shed tears on happy and sad occasions to let the world know how I feel. But my tears and feelings are laughed upon by people. They label me weak. But how can wanting peace and showing my emotions be considered weak? Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Siddhartha Gautama and Dalai Lama were all peace-lovers. But they were never considered weak. Why? Just because they had one X and one Y chromosome.

But why should I be discriminated against for my sensitivity and my desire for a happier world?

Looking perfect is not easy especially when my body continues to change. It refuses to help me look the way people want me to look. On top of that when I hear about those figure-perfect models, it really frustrates me. But how can I help if my body continues to change? Still people don’t realise my misery and judge me on my body shape. And if somehow I manage to put on a decent dress, dab the right amount of make-up and my hair stays in place, then people question my dressing sense. The length of my dress becomes a matter of discussion.

Why are men not questioned about their dresses? Why don’t they have any restrictions? Why am I being questioned by the society?

Living in a patriarchal society where people prefer boys over girls and are always ready to kill the girls surely doesn’t help. Think about those girls who are never sent to school, are married young, are a prey to domestic violence and bear children early!

My marriage is a burden for my family. Just because of those dowry seekers who think that they are not marrying their son but buying something for their son and doing a favour on the girl’s family. What I don’t understand is, it is me who is leaving my parents and family, it is me who is changing my name and identity, it is me who is going to a complete strange world and it is me who has to adjust to the new surroundings; then why am I being priced?

Why can’t this dowry system be abolished? Why can’t people marry their children happily without the greed and hunger of money?

Even the beautiful bond of friendship meets shaky grounds. My friendship with the other gender is not appreciated. My talking and playing with boys becomes a matter of objection. But why? Boys are never questioned about their friendship with girls. Then why am I being questioned? Why can’t people accept my friendship with the other sex? It really is frustrating when you have to choose your friends not on how their personality is but on the type of chromosomes they have.

I am a girl. I am not allowed to party hard late at night, play till late or visit a friend at odd hours like the boys. Why? The simple answer is, people are worried about my safety.

Why can’t they learn to respect us? Why is our safety always a matter of concern?

I am worshipped as Goddess Laxmi, who brings prosperity and wealth wherever she goes, and who ensures the well-being of everyone around; as Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, goddess of wisdom and music as well; as Goddess Durga, who though fights for the restoration of dharma and is fierce but loves her devotees and showers her blessings upon them.

But did I ask anybody to worship me? Or worshipping means you can’t respect a female as an individual? Why can’t people just love me, respect me and acknowledge my presence as I am.

You don’t have to keep me on a pedestal to respect me. Hilarious!!! Isn’t it, first they worship me and then find faults in me, judge me and try to dominate me.

The sooner the people realise my importance, the better. What people think of me, doesn’t really matter. I am happy to be vested with the power of continuing the cycle of life. I am a girl. I am proud to be a girl. Even though people discriminate against me, restrict me to do things and never leave a chance to demotivate me, I am quite happy the way I am.

My simple question to everyone is, ‘Why are we treated differently?’ Just because we are girls doesn’t mean we are any less. History is the proof that females have attained everything and in this new era they will soon leave the males behind.

*This article has been edited