This Woman From Lahore Dresses Up Like A Man So She Can Work And Make Ends Meet. Yes, We Are Still Fighting For Our Basic Rights

It is no secret that women all over world face hurdles that the men don’t even need to think about. We live in a patriarchal society after all, so men get away with a lot of things that women must fight wars about. From pay parity to rampant assault, the list of issues that we fight on a daily basis just does not end. Though these exact same problems are affecting women all over the world, the only difference is the intensity of that problem.

But it isn’t like women have it easier anywhere. We just did a story about a woman in MP who got brutally hit by her husband because HE had an affair and she had a problem with it. So, yeah, it’s bad everywhere but it’s worse, well, everywhere.

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But with the stories emerging from around the world, it looks like women in some societies have it worse than others. This is the story of Farheen, a single mother from Lahore not only runs a small general store but also drives an Uber. How does she do it without being pestered or harassed? She disguises the fact that she is a woman by dressing up like a man. With no male in the house, she had no choice left but to pretend to be a man just so she can feed her 9-year-old daughter.

Let’s get something straight, this story is not a heartwarming tale. It is reality slapping us in the face because where it is happening doesn’t matter. What matters is that she is just one case of a woman who has to change her very identity to make ends meet. This isn’t not by choice but by compulsion and that is terrible.

Farheen runs a shop in Anarkali Bazaar, Lahore. She runs this shop to make ends meet for her 9-year-old daughter who also helps out at the shop. The reason she dresses up like a man is to stay safe and comfortable in the male-dominated society that she lives in.

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Sharing her story on a Facebook page called Humans of Lahore, Farheen said “My name is Farheen. I have been living in Lahore for 8 years. I have a 9-year-old daughter who lives with me in a hostel. Both of us work at a small shop in Anarkali Bazaar which is empty because I have no money to have items in the shop. I have to dress up like a man, be a tomboy to run my own shop otherwise it’s very uncomfortable for me. I have been driving Uber as well but that still doesn’t help with the day to day tasks or the shop. My only request is that people help me to add things to my shop so I can sell them. Things like Toffee biscuits easyload juices cold drinks etc. Items that are available on a general store. I have to give this month’s rent as well but currently, I don’t see it happening.”

She further added.” I don’t want any money. I want to make money the halaal way and earn it but unfortunately, I need help at the moment, so I am reaching out to people.”

After taking her story into consideration and understanding the hardships Farheen is facing, people came together and raised Rs 2,00,000 for her and her daughter. And as amazing as it is that people are going out their way to help her, we simply can’t ignore the fact that things like these still happen.

The only way it will ever be possible for women like Farheen to earn a living by just being themselves is if people make a conscious effort to broaden their mindsets. It isn’t easy and it is going to take a very long time. Until then, all we can do is spread her story so all the women like her can at least work freely.

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