Heroine-ing for Dummies featuring Samyukta Hornad

Little girls should be seen

and not heard

Unless of course, she's crying out for help

A damsel in distress

A heroine

Then she must use her voice well

Strong, from the bottom of her heaving bosom!

The hero part of heroine, of course, is there solely for the benefit of irony

And a good measure of patriarchy

Little girls should be seen

and not heard

Unless of course, she's voicing her assent.

Assent is best put in silence.

A shy nod or shake of the head.

A bashful smile.

Beautifully one dimensional.

These are the things we like.

But a little murmur of approval - no eye contact, mind you -

Keep that head respectfully low, and we have,

Yes,

You guessed it right

A heroine.

Little girls should be seen

and not heard

Declaring things they want.

Unless of course if the things they want are what's good for them.

Let's find a man to tell what exactly is a good for a girl.

Yes, the next man.

Any one will do.

As long it's a man.

What do women know anyway.

Little girls must be seen

and not heard.

Making a fuss?

Expressing dreams and wants?

Unheard of!

And it's best that it stays that way.