The Daughter OR The Daughter-in-Law ? I Say... None

" I wish I was my sister-in-law" came the voice from the other side of phone. "Okay. What happened?" I asked my friend while wondering what happened to good old manners of greeting each other when we called someone. Nevertheless, the friend went on about how her sister-in-law was unwell that day and had come to their house to spend time with her mother. "How I wish I could also go to my mom's as I pleased. " She went on about her dilemma when she suddenly asked me "What would you be if given the choice in this scenario -  daughter or the daughter-in-law? Her question had me thinking and after a minute or so of thinking and analyzing, I replied, " None." What do you mean"none" she said. I told her I would neither be the daughter, nor the daughter-in-law, I would like to be the Son !!!

This conversation stayed with me even after I kept down the phone and I realized that what I had said was actually a very valid point. Men have it so much easier than us women. The more I thought about it, the more evidence I could find that Men especially in a marriage, have it a lot easier than women do. To elaborate my point further, I have made a list:

1. You can get up in the morning exactly an hour or whatever time you take to get ready without having to worry about mundane things like making breakfast, lunch or household chores
2. The only part about  food that concerns you is eating it.
3. There is some one else available to do your laundry
4. Same someone else to pick up after you whether it is your clothes, a wet towel or your shoes
5. You can come home as late as you want from work without feeling guilty about not being able to cook dinner
6. Your last name never changes
7. You don't have to leave your parents, siblings, your room or the house where you have a million memories.
8. Nobody cares what you wear to an occasion and can repeat outfits without guilt.
9. You never have bad hair days.
10. Your parents have to spend less at your wedding as compared to your sister's.
11. You never have PMS
12. You are not expected to bear children and especially of a particular sex.
13. You never have to bother about body hair !
14. You are paid equally to your peers, are rewarded better and have no guilt of choosing work over family or for working late...
15. Chances of you being sexually harassed are minimal.
16. You can find younger life partners even when you are 30.

The list can go on and on... but I guess I have made my point. We live in a patriarchal society where men have it quite easier than women. While men are always given options in almost all key decisions of their life, women are still struggling with the most basic one - their right to live...