Man, woman and the gender debate

Rashmi Joshi's new book is an antithesis of John Gray's famous 'Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus'

Do men belong to Mars and women to Venus? Should they abandon these planets and land where they truly belong, the Earth? Has the human race botched up the real man and the real woman in the whirlwind of conditioning? How different is this, a woman in battle and a man in a nurturing role? What do these two formidable forces — Shiva and Shakti, Yin and Yang, and Matter and Energy, signify?

In a new self-help book, author Rashmi Joshi has given radically different perspectives on several of these questions that have plagued humankind for a long time.

The author-cum-government of India-certified yoga instructor talks about her book, and the relationship between a man and a woman, with Metrolife.

Excerpts from the interview:

What initiated you to write a book on sensitive issues involving two genders?

A person’s own experiences, circumstances, and adaptations to these circumstances are what led me to form an opinion. The author in me has researched, experimented, and interviewed people to find corroboration to various gender-specific theories.

How different is your book from John Gray’s 'Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus'?

My book is like an antithesis of his book. I have given a completely different perspective compared to his narrative that defines the two sexes as opposite forces from different planets.

How challenging was it to get all the facts right before starting with the book?

It is quite challenging to put facts and figures together, analyse and then conclude the research. I did many hours of research, more than a hundred interviews, including transgenders, and studied various scientific data to prove that people develop gender-specific traits to suit the gender that they belong to.

What topics have you covered in the book?

Through the 19 chapters of the book, I have outlined the trajectory of human evolution, have put forth scientific evidence in support of my arguments, busted myths about tantra and sexuality, written about the victimisation of men and women, uncovered the secrets to better one’s relationships and advocated the importance of tuning in to one’s yin if you are a man and one’s yang if you are a woman.

According to you, what is the true relationship between a man and a woman?

The relationship between a man and a woman should be of true friendship. When it comes to friends, we mind our p’s and q’s, tread with caution, treasure our relationships, enjoy the moment, seek their support, and comfort in times of need. We should act similarly with our partners.

Have mythological texts and epics across the world been successful in defining the relationship between a male and female?

Mythological texts and epics have been written by humans. If both the genders had written these texts, we would have had a better perspective on the subject.