Whenever a successful woman, any successful woman has a child, there is one persistent question that begins to run in people’s minds.
How will she manage motherhood and her career?
The idea, of course, is that now that she is going to be a mother, her priorities will (have to) change.
Which, in turn, is a thought that stems from the fact that the physical aspects of parenting are still looked at, as a single-person-job: That of a mother’s.
So, when Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma announced yesterday that they are having a kid, a Twitter user reversed the question and posed it to the guy.
This was just to show how odd these questions seem when asked to a man.
Is Virat Kohli going to continue his cricketing career after fatherhood? How will he balance a sporting career with family?
— Star Wars: AnuHope (@anumccartney) August 27, 2020
Sounds absurd, right? What do you mean ‘how will he balance cricket and fatherhood’?
He can, of course. So can any other woman.
Here are some other replies on the thread, for some perspective.
Think he should finally settle down…
— Shreela Roy (@sredits) August 27, 2020
Love it.
— ali I. (@MCrizvi) August 27, 2020
It’ll affect his parenting if he continues, and set a bad example for society
Asking the real important questions. How we this man’s career be affected once he has a child! Especially a sportsperson. Everyone knows you can’t perform as well once you father children!!!!
— Daneesh Sethna (@daneeshsethna) August 27, 2020
Yes his career is over he is going to be a dad! 😊
— RaiK (@RaiK67776794) August 27, 2020
He is finally” settled “
— Rakhee Bakshee (@RBakshee) August 28, 2020
Best wishes to him! https://t.co/02ePz7tjVX
And some more to show that the sexism is so deep rooted in people’s heads, they do not even get the sarcasm of the tweet.
Is he the first Cricketer to have a Child in the Cricket World? 🤔
— PM Rao (@raopm9) August 28, 2020
Like most of us do, he is not the first sportsman becoming father.
— pradyot mishra #StaySafeKeepSafe (@pradyotmishra) August 28, 2020
Like every other cricketer who may also be a father, around the world.
— Sammy (@unperfectonist) August 28, 2020
Virat pehla papa nahi hai.
Like everyone else are https://t.co/EjeHinxvCj this something new?
— Madhur Agrawal (@agrmadhur123) August 28, 2020
Meanwhile, some other Twitter users also tried to highlight the inherent discrimination in the society, and their tweets were bang on.
Can Virat handle the captaincy once he’s a father? Will he be able to focus on the job? Career ending move, this.
— Sivakami Sivakumar (@kamicrelief) August 27, 2020
I think he should take retirement from cricket and look after his kids at home …
— Maaz (@mrsidd07) August 27, 2020
Hell become a good dad hopefully 👌🏻👌🏻🙏🙏
I mean if Anushka “allows” him to work!
— Shivangi (@ChoubeyShivangi) August 27, 2020