Have you ever imagined what your life would be like if you were a different gender? To what extent would your life be unique? Would this bring drastic changes to your everyday routine? Would you be seen differently by society? I, too, have wondered what my life would be like if I was a boy. I know my life would be very different, and it would bring drastic change to my everyday routine. It would be a drastic change because of the culture I grew up in and the household I live in. Like every traditional household, gender roles are present and there are some restrictions one gender has than the other. I reside in a Pakistani, Muslim household, where there are more restrictions for girls than boys, unfortunately. To be clear, I am not saying that this is for every Pakistani and Muslim household. So, do you want to know what it would be like, if I was a Pakistani, Muslim boy?

If I were a boy, I would not have to take care of my appearance that well. Sure, this counts for any male in any society, but I would not have to spend 20-30 minutes in front of the mirror, trying to look good. Also, my mother would not send me back into the bathroom if she thought I did not look good (according to her). The most time I would spend would be 10 minutes max. Now that is something I like!

Secondly, I would be able to wear clothes of my choosing. I would not have to think twice before I bought a top. I would not have to think about these questions: “Will my stomach show if I raise my hand? “What will my dad think?”, “Will my mom yell at me because it reveals my cleavage or is it tight on me?”. Honestly, shopping would be much easier and faster. I would not have to think too much about blouses, jeans, and shoes. Sure, we wear modern clothes, but girls must stay within limits, so they don’t embarrass themselves and their family. Speaking of embarrassment, girls carry their family’s respect on their shoulders when they leave their house. If I were a boy, I would not have to do this and would be burden free. I would be able to go out and not worry about if this or that will create a problem for me. Also, if someone sees me, will they call my parents right away? I would not have to worry about if I am talking to a boy or girl and have someone report to my parents and have them yell at me or question me if I am dating them or something. Life as a boy would be very convenient in this aspect.

Finally, I would not be forced to clean up and learn to cook because of my gender, and girls should do it before they move to their husband’s house. I would not have the pressure of learning all sorts of things, like sewing, cooking, cleaning and laundry. I would not have to start learning as early as 12 years old. Along with this, I certainly would not be getting my ear talked off about marriage as early as 16 years old by the aunts in my family. This would be something that I would certainly love, if I were a boy.

These three things are what my life as a boy would be, and I have to say that it is tempting, but a gender change would not be possible in my culture and family. I do not want to come off as someone who is complaining about being a girl but just wanted to shed light on what my life would be like if I was boy.