Sarvinoz Erkinova, Short Story 2

  Being from a culture that places lots of expectations and responsibilities on females but still treats them less than anybody is very tiring and demeaning. I have a sister and two brothers, and the way we were brought up and raised is very different. The boys were treated differently and taught to have authority over us and control our every step. I remember my dad buying my brothers iPhones but when I asked he told me only if you graduate high school with an advanced diploma with a GPA above 3.5. Back then I was young and didn’t see it in a discriminative way but my brothers always got away with what they wanted but when we girls asked something there was always a limit or we were asked to wait a certain time and depending on how we “behaved” we were either granted it or not.

     My dad one day at dinner mentioned that if a female always gets what she wants she will feel a strong sense of power and will manipulate those around her, so there should always be limits set on her. Women in our family never had a voice, it was only men’s decision that was appreciated and considered and women’s were as “you don’t even understand what this is about. Your job is to cook, clean, and make your daughters obedient. We do not need an opinion, why don’t you just listen? I don’t want your daughters to be like you so I let my sons handle them” and many more. There was a clear distinction: sons are my father’s children and daughters are my mom’s. We were supposed to go to school and do great, come home clean and cook, and not to have any friends. In contrast, my brothers were always outside late night, barely made it through high school, and had no future plans but they were the “Gods”. Thanks to my sister’s courage and bravery, she eloped from home when she was being forced to get married to someone that she didn’t know and want. We’re close friends with her, and before she left, she told me not to worry about her and that she will be in her friend’s home and that no one shall know about this. I totally supported her and agreed because I wanted her to be happy in life and not end up with someone like my father or brothers. My family was very embarrassed by what she did and they were told by my sister that if this continues she will take me and run away from home because we do not tolerate this hell anymore. My father was afraid and since then he changed drastically. I’m certain that his beliefs did not vanish but he does not treat us like before and I do not fear them anymore.