In every bustling classroom, in every college corridor, in every coaching centre of India, you will find countless young girls carrying a spark in their eyes — dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, pilots, IAS officers, or simply independent individuals building a life of their own.
But for many of them, that spark silently fades as years go by. Not because they lack talent, courage, or ambition — but because society often decides their destiny before they even get a chance to shape it.
From Dreamers to Dutiful Wives
In India, the idea of a “perfect woman” is deeply tied to being a good wife, a responsible daughter-in-law, and eventually, a devoted mother. While these roles are undoubtedly important and deserve respect, the concerning part is how other dreams are often sidelined or entirely sacrificed to fit into this traditional mould.
Many women, even highly educated and ambitious ones, eventually find themselves confined within the walls of marriage — not always because they chose it willingly, but because that’s what society expected of them.
Sadly, this cycle repeats silently. You rarely hear complaints. Most women accept this reality, internalising it as “the way it is.”
Why Aren’t We Talking About This?
Because these women aren’t shouting, doesn’t mean they aren’t hurting. Their silence often stems from generations of conditioning that taught them:
- “A good woman adjusts.”
- “A wife’s success is in her husband’s success.”
- “Your real identity starts after marriage.”
With such messages ingrained, many women learn to bury their aspirations. Their dreams of careers, adventures, or personal freedom get replaced by responsibilities — often without even a moment of pause to ask, What do I want?
The Unfair Trade-Off
It’s not about shaming marriage or housewives. Being a homemaker is a full-time, respectable role. But the problem arises when it’s not a choice, but a compulsion masked as tradition.
A girl who dreamt of being an Air Force pilot shouldn’t have to trade her wings for household chores simply because she’s told, “Beta, ab shaadi ki umar ho gayi hai.”
A woman passionate about law or medicine shouldn’t be made to feel guilty for prioritising her career over marriage timelines.
It’s Time for Change — And It Starts with Us
At SheLit, we believe:
✅ A woman’s identity is more than her marital status.
✅ Dreams should not have an expiry date.
✅ Marriage should be a choice, not a compulsory milestone.
✅ Women deserve to live for themselves, unapologetically.
We need families, schools, and communities to encourage girls to dream beyond marriage. Support their ambitions, and more importantly, respect their right to choose their own path — whether that path leads to a corporate boardroom, a courtroom, a cockpit, or indeed, a happy home by choice.
Dear Women — Your Dreams Matter
To every woman reading this who quietly let her dreams fade into the background — it’s never too late. Your aspirations still matter. Your ambitions are still valid. And your story is still yours to write.
It’s time we rewrite the narrative — where marriage is one part of life, not the entire definition of it.
SheLit