Gender Equality
In traditional Korea there were many bars to women and still it is handed downing. Long time ago, women even could not learn and of course they can’t receive proper education. Moreover if they married women’s life would totally ruined because of the trouble with mother-in-law. Usually mother-in-law bugged her daughter-in-law heavily. They even can’t say anything although their mother-in-law saying ridiculous thing and women can’t even eat meal with men or just being with men. Basically Korean women lived without freedom.
In traditional Korea there were many bars to women and still it is handed downing. Long time ago, women even could not learn and of course they can’t receive proper education. Moreover if they married women’s life would totally ruined because of the trouble with mother-in-law. Usually mother-in-law bugged her daughter-in-law heavily. They even can’t say anything although their mother-in-law saying ridiculous thing and women can’t even eat meal with men or just being with men. Basically Korean women lived without freedom.
Actually my father-side-grandmother is really accustomed to this inequality and used to treat me in that way since when I was young, so I really hated grandmother. I have 4 father-side-cousins. They are all boys, older than me and live in States. So when they came to Korea they stayed my house and then grandmother’s hysteria going even harder. For example, one of my cousins was sitting more near to the refrigerator and cousin said he want ice water and then my grandmother said me to take out the water. I accepted that saying because I am a hostess but I was so embarrassed because she said like “Chi-Eun, because you are a woman you should take out the water.” I was like ‘What?!’. Not because I am a hostess or younger but because I am a GIRL? That was so ridiculous to me and I can’t accept it. Actually it was tiny incident and I could just pass but I can’t forget about it. Besides when I and grandmother visited their house even there I had to clean up all the stuff and prepare meal. Moreover my cousins even slept at the second floor and grandmother allowed them to do so. Wow….!
Whenever I think all the stories which happened to me like that I get really angry. In the world there are still many cases like that. Women can’t success than men in society and there are lots of stereotypes toward women like women are weak and can’t do what men do. That is literally just ‘stereotype’. Indeed, there are some things which women can’t do but we should know this. We can distinguish between women and men but we should not discriminate against women. They are same, they are both mankind which we should respect. I am not saying this because I am a women, but as one of the mankind.
- Web Site -
http://hrw.org/women/
-> This web site is actually related to all human right but in this section you could find the right relevant to women.
5 comments:
Dear Chi-Eun,
You must love music very much! I know you can play the piano and the drum, I did not your activities in your university. You are participating in so many activities! Jazz, band, school choir... They all sound fun! Do you have favorite songs to play?
Your story was so amazing for me too! Especially the story about the school choir. I think you are borned to play musical instruments same as your family! When I was a child, I also learend the piano, but I was bored to play it. So I feel jealous to you a little... I want to hear your piano someday! (Of course, if I have a chance I want to hear your drum too!)
After reading your blog, I could know you more than before! I enjoyed them very much. Thank you!
Reiko
Hi Chi-Eun,
I think you are right about women still being treated as second-class citizens in many ways. On the other hand, some progress has been made. By standing up to your grandmother, you increase you sense of power. I'm sure the next generation of mothers (you) will help to insure that your daughters are treated more fairly.
Here's an interesting link to the Equal Rigths Amendment. It almost became part of the U.S. Constitution, but did not quite get enough states to ratify it.
http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/
Thanks for writing.
Michael
Chi-Eun, it was interesting to hear about the culture in Korea where the women are considered very much householders being at a lower status than men. This kind of treatment that women in Korea receive is sort of similar to the treatment that women receive in most countries such as the United State, and Saudi Arabia. In the United States, women during 1970’s were considered householders; while men on the other hand were considered breadwinners. Also, women in Saudi Arabia have some in common with women in Korea; where the grandmother in law controls the wife by getting her to do particular house chores. However, young women in Saudi Arabia finally decided to break that tradition by fighting for their freedom; and they are no longer controlled by anyone. As the women’s situation in Saudi Arabia moving forward, I hope that the women’s situation in Korea is moving forward to the better.
Bandar,
The term we use is "housewife" or "homemaker." Your comments are very relevant. Here in the U.S., more women work, but some of them also still are the main homemaker, so they have double duty! However, as is true in my house, wives and husbands share cooking and household chores.
Thanks for commenting!
Michael
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