Actor stresses consent, empathy, boundaries and acceptance of rejection while raising sons
Chandigarh: Actor Dia Mirza has put the focus on how boys are raised, stressing the importance of teaching sons care, empathy, respect and consent amid discussions over recent alleged rape and sexual assault cases.
Taking to Instagram, Dia shared a post that read, “Don’t raise girls to avoid harm. Raise boys who won’t cause harm.” She then spoke about the values she seeks to instil in her son, Avyaan Azaad Rekhi.
“Every single day, I strive to teach my son the value of care, respect, empathy and kindness towards all,” she wrote.
She said this also meant teaching children how to respond to rejection, respect personal boundaries and recognise subtle signs of discomfort.
Dia said consent was not merely the absence of a “no”, but the presence of a willing and comfortable “yes”. She added that no one owed her son attention, affection or intimacy and that rejection was neither an insult nor something to be challenged, negotiated or taken personally.
She said such lessons were important for every parent raising a son and could help create a safer, more equitable and healthier world for girls.
Dia and her husband, Vaibhav Rekhi, welcomed Avyaan on May 14, 2021. Their son is five years old.
Her post came amid discussions over recent alleged rape and sexual assault cases in Delhi-NCR and the Jamui harassment case involving minors. The cases included the alleged rape of a 17-year-old at Aastha Kunj Park near Lady Shri Ram College, the alleged gang rape of a minor in Swaroop Nagar and the alleged sexual assault of another minor on a bus travelling from Greater Noida to Delhi.
The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of recent rape and sexual assault cases in Delhi-NCR involving minors and women. The court sought a response from the Delhi Police and said public spaces such as parks, buses and roads could not be allowed to become “zones of high risk”.
Dia was last seen in the Netflix series “Operation Safed Sagar“, which also featured Jimmy Shergill, Siddharth, Abhay Verma, Tarruk Raina and Mihir Ahuja. She is also set to appear opposite Rahul Bhat in a yet-to-be-titled romantic drama described as a “spiritual sequel” to “Once Again”.
The North News
