On Independence Day, young girls across India tell us what freedom means to them

After 73 years of independence, the question we are really asking ourselves is, “Are we really free?” What does freedom mean to the millions of young girls, part of a very young population of the country?

Is it the freedom to choose what they want to do in life? Is it the freedom to able to walk in the streets without being catcalled or harassed? Is it the freedom to choose their own partner or not get married at all? Is it the freedom to speak up, loud and clear, and not be afraid of naysayers telling them that women should be “docile and gentle”? Or, is it the freedom to rise above stereotypes that tell them what a girl can do or cannot?

These and many questions form the mood of young women across the country as we celebrate Independence Day tomorrow. For freedom, does not mean celebrating independence achieved from the British colonial rulers in 1947. It means so much more for a young country and its young women, as we move forward on the path of atmanirbharta. Can a country really become self-reliant unless its youth are free in every aspect?

HerStory spoke to a few young people to understand what freedom means to them, and how important is it for us to hold that sense of being free close to our hearts, so that our future looks bright and wonderful.

Freedom from a patriarchal society

Even after so many years of independence, I do not think we are really free. Freedom to me means doing what I want to do, without any pressure or fear of something bad happening to me. Which in India is a lot to ask apparently. Women don't have the freedom to form their own opinions, express their feelings, to have a choice, or to live their lives as they want to. Women are always overshadowed and controlled by male figures in their life, be it their fathers, brothers, husbands, or uncles. What we really need is freedom from this patriarchal society.

Ritika Naidu, 25, Chartered Accountant, Nagpur

Times are changing

Freedom to me would be doing things I would want as a person without thinking about the consequences. Like being a woman, before getting dressed up for an outing, you have to consider a lot of factors like how you are planning to go? How long will you be there, and would you return home before midnight? And then dress accordingly. And talking about professional life, there are some specific tasks that women, in general, are assumed cannot deal with like on construction sites talking to contractors, etc. But with the time changing, this mentality has been changing too. Women are powering through everything and creating their own identity at par with the men or even superior!

Ayesha Sheikh, 21, Student, Mumbai

Security and right of voice

Freedom, to me, means security and right of voice. But as a woman, it comes at a different price in different countries. Women bear the responsibility of the family, where one has a limited right to speak up and be heard. Their physicality or marital status defines who they are in a society, and most of them do not have the right to live independent lives. Their future is shaped by the judgemental patriarchal society.

Wangchen Tsomu, Student, Arunachal Pradesh  

Freedom to do the things I want to

For me, freedom means to be at peace with myself, and not feel guilty or shameful of certain things just because they do not fit into societal norms. This includes freedom to study, follow the arts, freedom to choose a career option later in life and change into another when needed, freedom to live freely on my own terms after I turn 18, and freedom to learn new things. More importantly, I would love to have the freedom to walk on the streets without the fear of being catcalled or harassed, freedom to have an opinion on certain issues, freedom where I am not judged by my looks, freedom to live and struggle on my own terms, and not for the sake of survival. 

Priti Paul, 20, Nursing Student, West Bengal

Freedom comes in multiple layers

As a young woman, what freedom means to me is to be free from gender norms and expectations. I have safety concerns every time I go outside at any point of the day or night. I am aware that I am in a social state that comes with a lot of privileges, but at the same time, I know that I don’t have the same level of freedom as my brother does. Do I believe we are free? I think freedom comes in multiple layers. It isn’t simply achieving freedom from colonialism. With independence also came a lot of thoughts and ideas, as to how free India looks like. If we haven’t achieved freedom from classism, casteism, racism, sexism, or communalism, we haven’t achieved freedom at all.

Apoorva Chopra, Student, Bengaluru