Deepika Sikri on Navigating Motherhood: Raising Sons in Today’s Evolving World | KQED

Deepika Sikri talks about raising her sons to respect women.

Gloria Steinem once said that a feminist is someone who recognizes the equality of women and men. Her words resonate with me, especially as I watch my son bake his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Before becoming a mother, I had a strong vision of feminism and thought I’d be raising fierce daughters who would break barriers. But life gave me sons instead, and I embraced that challenge.

My mother was my first feminist role model. She managed her career, cooked delicious meals, and raised us well. However, she also passed on a heavy expectation: the pressure to excel at everything instead of the freedom to choose what truly mattered to us.

At our dinner table, my teenage son often rolls his eyes when I bring up feminism. But then, he surprises me by passionately discussing Ruth Bader Ginsburg while munching on his pasta. In that moment, I understood my biggest success isn’t just teaching him about women’s rights. It’s about raising boys who believe everyone deserves the freedom to follow their dreams, no matter their gender.

As my son kneads dough in the kitchen, I see that I’m not just teaching him how to help women. I’m teaching him basic human decency. Research shows that baby boys cry just as much as girls, reminding us that rigid gender roles are not natural; they are enforced by society like uncomfortable hand-me-downs.