She is not only an ace tennis star but also an inspiration to many women. After shutting down a journalist for asking her plans to ‘settle down’, she once again sets an example of thwarting gender biases. Sania Mirza shot to fame with the Wimbledon's Championships Girls' Doubles title at the age of 16 and she was ranked as India's No. 1 player by the Women's Tennis Association, both in singles and doubles circuits
Sania Mirza is married to the former captain of Pakistan cricket team and husband, Shoaib Malik and the couple is expecting their first child in October 2018. Being a perfect example of cross-nation love stories, Sania and Shoaib’s wedding blurred the geographical lines between the two nations. The controversies, threats, media and everything failed to stir trouble in their marital bliss. Sania Mirza's journey to become a tennis star is undoubtedly an inspiration to all the aspiring young candidates out there. Sania fought against all the odds in her personal as well as professional life to achieve what she is today. She fought against the gender biases throughout her life. (Recommended Read: Miscarriage In Pregnancy: Symptoms, Causes And How To Deal With It)
During a panel discussion on "Gender Bias" at the Goa Fest 2018, Sania Mirza expressed her wish to take her family name, Mirza, forward with her child. She was quoted as saying, “Today I will tell you a secret. My husband and I have spoken about it and we have decided that whenever we have a child, the child will have Mirza Malik as a surname and not just Malik. So that’s where we stand as a family including my husband. He actually wants a daughter.” (Also Read: Saif Ali Khan And Kareena Kapoor Khan Enjoy Summers With Taimur Ali Khan On A Pool Date)
Sania Mirza also talked about the gender discrimination that prevailed in her extended family and would advise her parents to have a son so that their family can go ahead. There were times when she fought with her relatives over this. Sania’s parents never felt the need of a son, to carry their legacy forward. Sania further added, “We are two sisters and have never wished that we had a brother. I have had fights with my uncles and aunts, who talk about it or come up and tell my parents that they should have had a son. For us, daughters are daughters and there was nothing like wanting a son to carry the family name forward.”
Emphasizing on the fact that daughters too can take a family name forward, Sania asserted, “I have not changed my surname (post marriage) and my name is still Sania Mirza and it will remain that way. The family name is going to go forward.”
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Sania Mirza had also put some light on the pay disparity that exists in the sports between men and women players and she believes that an only way out of it is to change the mindsets of people towards women players. In an earlier interview when Sania was asked about when she is going to settle down, she gave a perfect hit back to this sexist question. TV journalist Rajdeep Sardesai asked her, “You don’t talk about retirement, about raising a family, about motherhood, what’s life beyond tennis is going to be..” (Also Read: 6 Television And Bollywood Mommies Who Suffered From Depression During And After Pregnancy)
Sania reverted, “You sound disappointed that I’m not choosing motherhood over being number one in the world at this point of time. But I’ll answer your question anyway, that’s the question I face all the time as a woman, that all women have to face — the first is marriage and then it’s motherhood. Unfortunately, that’s when we’re settled, and no matter how many Wimbledons we win or number ones in the world we become, we don’t become settled. But eventually, it will happen, not right now. And when it does happen I’ll be the first one to tell everybody when I plan to do that.” (Also Read: Stepmom Surpiya Pathak Reveals The Best Gift Shahid Has Given Her, And It's Sweet Beyond Words)
Sania Mirza is truly an inspiration to all, not only for her remarkable achievements but also with subtle jibes on the social issues.
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