When Anand Dhanakoti turned 14, he decided to learn contemporary dance. He was unaware that ballet was also a part of the course and was initially sceptical to train in a dance form that he thought to be too 'girly'.
He believed that wearing tight pants and a tutu were not the ideal dance costume for a guy — a notion shared by a great many. Nevertheless, he decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, he fell in love with it and now, years later, he is proud to call himself a ballet dancer. On the occasion of 'International Men's Day', men share stories of how it feels to take up jobs generally meant for women and what this breaking of gender stereotypes taught them.
We have grown up in a society that teaches us that blue is the colour for boys and pink is for girls. Somewhere along the way, knowingly or unknowingly, many of us started following the societal norms, gave in to the pressure and became the people everyone expected us to be. However, there is still a small percentage of people who refused to go with the crowd; the ones who decided that pink could also be a colour for men and blue for women.
Anand says, "It is still very difficult for my family and friends to accept that I am a ballet dancer. They come to watch my performances only if there is some form of contemporary dance mixed with it. Once, I remember dancing in front of my college crowd in tights and I was 'boo-ed' by the audience. I had to run out of the stage in between my performance."
Having struggled for years, Anand says the torment still continues. "Similar to how all other dancers struggled to make their mark, I want to strip away the gender association with ballet and make it a dance form that we can all enjoy," he explains.
Most of the hobbies that many believe are for women are in the field of art and craft. Kevin Fernandez, an English lecturer, loves quilting during his free time. He says, "I have a weird attachment to my collection of socks. I feel extremely sad when I find a hole or tear in it. Since I don't like parting with them, I decided to use that and few other things of mine to quilt. I have also made a few for my friends and they love it."
Ask him about how the world around him identifies his 'girly' talent, he laughs and says, "I believe it is best that I ignore their remarks and move on with my life." While many in the older generation believed in leaving all domestic responsibilities to the lady of the house, artiste Rakesh V G thinks it is equally important for men to help out. Rakesh wakes up early, does the household chores, prepares breakfast and gets their daughter, Megan, ready for school. He says, "My wife and I have made a system that revolves around Megan's timings. We plan accordingly so that she gets to school on time, does her homework and goes to bed by 9 pm. Given the lifestyle we lead today, it is impossible for one person to carry out these tasks on their own. That's when being a part-time house husband comes into play. The backward thinking of women taking care of the house needs to change."
Another example of such gender-biased thinking is how many believe that only women are meant to work in the cabin crew. But Allan Mackay talks about working as a cabin crew member for 13 years and loving every moment of it.
He says, "When people said that my work was to be a maid in the sky, I took it with a pinch of salt and moved on. Though the system of recruiting has changed, working for an airline is not just to serve the passengers.
There is a lot of training, brain work and other skills that one needs to know. It is a responsible job and I loved every moment of it." With these men breaking stereotypes, there is hope that the world is changing and possibly for the better. These bold moves are healing the world; one step at a time.
He believed that wearing tight pants and a tutu were not the ideal dance costume for a guy — a notion shared by a great many. Nevertheless, he decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, he fell in love with it and now, years later, he is proud to call himself a ballet dancer. On the occasion of 'International Men's Day', men share stories of how it feels to take up jobs generally meant for women and what this breaking of gender stereotypes taught them.
We have grown up in a society that teaches us that blue is the colour for boys and pink is for girls. Somewhere along the way, knowingly or unknowingly, many of us started following the societal norms, gave in to the pressure and became the people everyone expected us to be. However, there is still a small percentage of people who refused to go with the crowd; the ones who decided that pink could also be a colour for men and blue for women.
Anand says, "It is still very difficult for my family and friends to accept that I am a ballet dancer. They come to watch my performances only if there is some form of contemporary dance mixed with it. Once, I remember dancing in front of my college crowd in tights and I was 'boo-ed' by the audience. I had to run out of the stage in between my performance."
Having struggled for years, Anand says the torment still continues. "Similar to how all other dancers struggled to make their mark, I want to strip away the gender association with ballet and make it a dance form that we can all enjoy," he explains.
Most of the hobbies that many believe are for women are in the field of art and craft. Kevin Fernandez, an English lecturer, loves quilting during his free time. He says, "I have a weird attachment to my collection of socks. I feel extremely sad when I find a hole or tear in it. Since I don't like parting with them, I decided to use that and few other things of mine to quilt. I have also made a few for my friends and they love it."
Ask him about how the world around him identifies his 'girly' talent, he laughs and says, "I believe it is best that I ignore their remarks and move on with my life." While many in the older generation believed in leaving all domestic responsibilities to the lady of the house, artiste Rakesh V G thinks it is equally important for men to help out. Rakesh wakes up early, does the household chores, prepares breakfast and gets their daughter, Megan, ready for school. He says, "My wife and I have made a system that revolves around Megan's timings. We plan accordingly so that she gets to school on time, does her homework and goes to bed by 9 pm. Given the lifestyle we lead today, it is impossible for one person to carry out these tasks on their own. That's when being a part-time house husband comes into play. The backward thinking of women taking care of the house needs to change."
Another example of such gender-biased thinking is how many believe that only women are meant to work in the cabin crew. But Allan Mackay talks about working as a cabin crew member for 13 years and loving every moment of it.
He says, "When people said that my work was to be a maid in the sky, I took it with a pinch of salt and moved on. Though the system of recruiting has changed, working for an airline is not just to serve the passengers.
There is a lot of training, brain work and other skills that one needs to know. It is a responsible job and I loved every moment of it." With these men breaking stereotypes, there is hope that the world is changing and possibly for the better. These bold moves are healing the world; one step at a time.
When Anand Dhanakoti turned 14, he decided to learn contemporary dance. He was unaware that ballet was also a part of the course and was initially sceptical to train in a dance form that he thought to be too 'girly’.
He believed that wearing tight pants and a tutu were not the ideal dance costume for a guy — a notion shared by a great many. Nevertheless, he decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, he fell in love with it and now, years later, he is proud to call himself a ballet dancer. On the occasion of 'International Men’s Day’, men share stories of how it feels to take up jobs generally meant for women and what this breaking of gender stereotypes taught them.
We have grown up in a society that teaches us that blue is the colour for boys and pink is for girls. Somewhere along the way, knowingly or unknowingly, many of us started following the societal norms, gave in to the pressure and became the people everyone expected us to be. However, there is still a small percentage of people who refused to go with the crowd; the ones who decided that pink could also be a colour for men and blue for women.
Anand says, "It is still very difficult for my family and friends to accept that I am a ballet dancer. They come to watch my performances only if there is some form of contemporary dance mixed with it. Once, I remember dancing in front of my college crowd in tights and I was 'boo-ed’ by the audience. I had to run out of the stage in between my performance.”
Having struggled for years, Anand says the torment still continues. "Similar to how all other dancers struggled to make their mark, I want to strip away the gender association with ballet and make it a dance form that we can all enjoy,” he explains.
Most of the hobbies that many believe are for women are in the field of art and craft. Kevin Fernandez, an English lecturer, loves quilting during his free time. He says, "I have a weird attachment to my collection of socks. I feel extremely sad when I find a hole or tear in it. Since I don’t like parting with them, I decided to use that and few other things of mine to quilt. I have also made a few for my friends and they love it.”
Ask him about how the world around him identifies his 'girly’ talent, he laughs and says, "I believe it is best that I ignore their remarks and move on with my life.” While many in the older generation believed in leaving all domestic responsibilities to the lady of the house, artiste Rakesh V G thinks it is equally important for men to help out. Rakesh wakes up early, does the household chores, prepares breakfast and gets their daughter, Megan, ready for school. He says, "My wife and I have made a system that revolves around Megan’s timings. We plan accordingly so that she gets to school on time, does her homework and goes to bed by 9 pm. Given the lifestyle we lead today, it is impossible for one person to carry out these tasks on their own. That’s when being a part-time house husband comes into play. The backward thinking of women taking care of the house needs to change.”
Another example of such gender-biased thinking is how many believe that only women are meant to work in the cabin crew. But Allan Mackay talks about working as a cabin crew member for 13 years and loving every moment of it.
He says, "When people said that my work was to be a maid in the sky, I took it with a pinch of salt and moved on. Though the system of recruiting has changed, working for an airline is not just to serve the passengers.
There is a lot of training, brain work and other skills that one needs to know. It is a responsible job and I loved every moment of it.” With these men breaking stereotypes, there is hope that the world is changing and possibly for the better. These bold moves are healing the world; one step at a time.
He believed that wearing tight pants and a tutu were not the ideal dance costume for a guy — a notion shared by a great many. Nevertheless, he decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, he fell in love with it and now, years later, he is proud to call himself a ballet dancer. On the occasion of 'International Men’s Day’, men share stories of how it feels to take up jobs generally meant for women and what this breaking of gender stereotypes taught them.
We have grown up in a society that teaches us that blue is the colour for boys and pink is for girls. Somewhere along the way, knowingly or unknowingly, many of us started following the societal norms, gave in to the pressure and became the people everyone expected us to be. However, there is still a small percentage of people who refused to go with the crowd; the ones who decided that pink could also be a colour for men and blue for women.
Anand says, "It is still very difficult for my family and friends to accept that I am a ballet dancer. They come to watch my performances only if there is some form of contemporary dance mixed with it. Once, I remember dancing in front of my college crowd in tights and I was 'boo-ed’ by the audience. I had to run out of the stage in between my performance.”
Having struggled for years, Anand says the torment still continues. "Similar to how all other dancers struggled to make their mark, I want to strip away the gender association with ballet and make it a dance form that we can all enjoy,” he explains.
Most of the hobbies that many believe are for women are in the field of art and craft. Kevin Fernandez, an English lecturer, loves quilting during his free time. He says, "I have a weird attachment to my collection of socks. I feel extremely sad when I find a hole or tear in it. Since I don’t like parting with them, I decided to use that and few other things of mine to quilt. I have also made a few for my friends and they love it.”
Ask him about how the world around him identifies his 'girly’ talent, he laughs and says, "I believe it is best that I ignore their remarks and move on with my life.” While many in the older generation believed in leaving all domestic responsibilities to the lady of the house, artiste Rakesh V G thinks it is equally important for men to help out. Rakesh wakes up early, does the household chores, prepares breakfast and gets their daughter, Megan, ready for school. He says, "My wife and I have made a system that revolves around Megan’s timings. We plan accordingly so that she gets to school on time, does her homework and goes to bed by 9 pm. Given the lifestyle we lead today, it is impossible for one person to carry out these tasks on their own. That’s when being a part-time house husband comes into play. The backward thinking of women taking care of the house needs to change.”
Another example of such gender-biased thinking is how many believe that only women are meant to work in the cabin crew. But Allan Mackay talks about working as a cabin crew member for 13 years and loving every moment of it.
He says, "When people said that my work was to be a maid in the sky, I took it with a pinch of salt and moved on. Though the system of recruiting has changed, working for an airline is not just to serve the passengers.
There is a lot of training, brain work and other skills that one needs to know. It is a responsible job and I loved every moment of it.” With these men breaking stereotypes, there is hope that the world is changing and possibly for the better. These bold moves are healing the world; one step at a time.