It’s 2020, but gender roles still play a massive part in our society. When a woman becomes a mother, she’s expected to prioritize her baby, take maternity leave, take a sabbatical, or in some cases, even quit her job. Why? Some might say it’s for her health, but it’s mostly because women have been the primary caregivers if you observe closely. They are defined as nurturers, and fathers are not held accountable to look after their baby. Isn’t a newborn baby a father’s just as much as it is a mother’s? However, society still has a regressive outlook towards the roles played by mothers and fathers towards their kids, and they proved it when Virat Kohli’s decision to take paternity leave made the news.
As a way to bridge the gap between gender inequality, several companies grant paternity leaves so that fathers share the responsibility of raising a baby and spend quality time with them. Like maternity leave, paternity leave is equally important too. Until men are given an equal opportunity to be caregivers, the bulk of the responsibility lies on the woman and becomes an added pressure. The Indian Cricket Team Captain, Virat Kohli, had applied for paternity leave, and recently, it was granted to him by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Jay Shah, secretary of the BCCI, revealed that Virat is all set to take his leave after the first test against Australia. Jay said that Virat plans to return to India to spend time with his wife and baby.
Commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted, saying that there is more to life than just his profession, and several Kolhi fans supported his decision and commended him for prioritizing his family. However, there were a bunch of people who condemned his decision and compared him to MS Dhoni. Check out the tweets below:
Nothing imp than national duty, yet again Kohli proved he is not a leader
— Sunil Kalyan (@sunilguts) November 9, 2020
This is the difference between Kohli and Dhoni … Country and duty above anything else. This is what you live for. If this is just another profession then he better work in a PSU bank and work from 9 to 5 pm
— Girish L Punjabi (@girishlpunjabi) November 9, 2020
While Virat received backlash from a few netizens, many fans backed his decision and stood up for him. Check out what a few of them tweeted:
Why is Kohli questioned for taking a paternity leave? It doesn’t make sense to throw in what Dhoni said and compare. It’s a personal choice. Let him live his life like you happily live yours.
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) November 9, 2020
Cricketers from all over the world take paternity leaves, and it’s a matter of celebration. Here, it’s almost like Kohli is being questioned for becoming a father.
Another reason why the whole concept of paternity leaves in India hasn’t been rolled out like we would have liked.
— Sarah Waris (@swaris16) November 9, 2020
Kohli has every right to leave test series
Don’t compare it with Dhoni
It’s his personal call
— KAUSHIK PANDEY (@__kaushik18) November 9, 2020
In 2015, when Dhoni’s daughter Ziva was born, he chose to play the game and miss his child’s birth. He said that the World Cup is an important campaign and everything else can wait. The decision of missing a match to watch your baby come into this world is a personal choice, and the Indian skipper has every right to this decision. It’s up to him to choose what he thinks is best for his family and himself, and as a society, we must respect his will rather than criticizing it.
Here’s Why Shaming Virat Is Regressive And A Step Backwards From Gender Equality
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Just like maternity leave is granted for new mothers, fathers are granted paternity leave to take care of their baby and bond with them. It encourages fathers to take responsibility for raising a baby and spend time with their partners. A baby must spend time with their father to build a bond with them. Besides, studies show that a father’s involvement in the early stages of an infant’s life could positively impact a baby’s cognitive development (1).
Shaming the cricket captain for taking paternity leave is a step backward because it fuels the ridiculous notion that women have to bear the sole responsibility of being caregivers. In contrast, men have no accountability for fatherhood. But with prominent celeb personalities like Virat Kohli taking this step, we hope it normalizes paternal leaves and encourages other men to do the same. There is nothing shameful about staying home to take care of your baby, and it’s time we, as a society, realize that and move forward.
We applaud Virat for taking this step and hope that we see other men following suit in the future. What are your thoughts on paternity leaves? Comment below and let us know.
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