Does my inability to cook make me half a woman?

Why is cooking only a woman's job? (Photo for representational purposes only) Photo courtesy: Twitter/PadmaLakshmi

What makes a real woman? The usual female body parts, you would randomly guess. Well, that's not enough. As per Indian  society, womanhood depends on how domesticated a person is.

At least, that's what I have gathered so far. Last week, I heard a neighbour yelling at her son and saying, "Ladkiyo ki tarah sara time kitchen mein baitha reh."

Now, many would take no offence to this statement. After all, cooking is a woman's job--right? That's what patriarchy has taught us.

I, on the other hand, have a colossal problem with it--mainly because I am not too fond of cooking. A cardinal sin, many would say, considering that I am a woman and of marriageable age.

For years I have been belittled for my inability to cook human food. But, rest assured--my impairment doesn't stem from the fact that I am lazy. God is witness that I have tried to prepare scrumptious meals, but it has always ended up on the plate a serving of catastrophe.  

I perceive cooking like any other activity--something you can be good at if you like it, and suck at, if you don't. Just like writing or painting. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with gender.

Yet, so far, more than two dozen nosy aunties have shared their pearls of wisdom with me, letting me on secrets of womanhood. According to them--if I don't cook for my husband-to-be, it means I don't love him!

For heaven's sake, what does love have to do with cooking? Sure, I have been told that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Since I can't cook--does it mean he will not be loved back? That's just rubbish.

Honestly, these conspiracy theories give me a headache.

This is not a new thing to quibble over, honestly. Though, not a novel concept, it's existed for years and it will continue to do so. With time our society has tried to modify its take on everything feminine, so I am hoping it would also forgo cooking. Not holding my breath, though.

I am proud of my gender and I don't feel the need to turn into a culinary artist to prove it to the world.