People think that there is a problem with gender equality. I
believe that there is a problem but it is getting better as time goes on. The
reading was talking about in China the different treatment that takes place if
you female than if you are male. People would have abortions if they knew the
gender of the fetus would be a female. At this time they could only have one
child and many people wanted a healthy boy. This would help carry on their
family name. I found it disturbing that in the twenties when women would cut
their hair to be like men street thugs would either rip the rest of their hair
out or cut off their breast. And when they did this they would say “if you want
to look like a man this will do it” (page 207). I find this as a low point for
women. But now women’s right are increasing. Women can work. Factories actually
want women to work for them instead of men. This is a turnaround for women. I
find this important to look at the positives here and see that women are
gaining more rights. What do you think about the gender equality in China?
It broke my heart when I read that they'd make women have an abortion if she was having a girl. I know it's throughout their culture in China, but I still can't just wrap my mind around it. I can easily see how women can become depressed and find it hard to discover a purpose for themselves since men are the dominant gender in China. It's sad to think that you're unwanted, or unneeded, or need to shave off your given body parts to "be better" (to look like a man). I agree with you, it's definitely disturbing! Thankfully, as you have said, gender equality is becoming more surfaced. It's happening. Women are being given the rights that a man has. I think it's important that men, and employers need to know that women are strong, hard working, and driven too. Not only do the men and employers need to know this, but so do the women to find confidence and a purpose.
ReplyDeleteI have always heard talk about how women are treated and china, and how they aren’t accepted and not wanted. I had never before gotten the actual facts about how they were treated. I think that it is beyond disturbing the way women had been looked down upon for so long. It was a rude awakening for me because I thought the most they did was just give up their girls for adoption because they were only allowed to have one child, and they’d always pick the boy to keep. I do agree with you however that even though we haven’t reached full gender equality, we have come such a long way. There is definitely a lot of improvement as opposed to how things used to be.
ReplyDeleteIn America, China is seen as such an advanced country with very high test scores, huge cities, and a booming economy. I think the struggles for women's rights is often eclipsed by the successes of China. Reading this chapter it made me realize that things are still not what they should be in this country. I can't imagine being an unwanted part of my family. When I was a child I would ask my parents "Did you want a boy or girl?" They would always respond "We didn't care, as long as we had a healthy child." This is not the mentality in so many parts of the world and I think that it's a hard reality to grasp for someone who was raised in the U.S. My aunt recently decided to adopt a little girl with Down's Syndrome from China. The little girl she is adopting was unwanted by her own family and put up for adoption as soon as she was born. My aunt has adopted another little boy named Josh and this is her second. Tiffany, my aunt, hopes she will provide the home and family this little girl never has experienced. Although every person can't adopt a girl from China, there is always something each one of us could do to make the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteI would say I am cautiously optimistic about the state of women's rights in China. It does seem to be improving, and the book gives some great examples about the strides China has made thus far towards gender equality. While it may be shocking for us to hear about the treatment of girls and women in China, we have to remember that women having equal rights in America is a fairly new concept that is still no where near perfect. It's a process, and it takes time and diligence to achieve. After reading the chapter in the book, I feel that there is definitely hope for the future of women's rights.
ReplyDeleteThere may be genger inequalities throughout the world, however ther are still equal abilities between men and women. Sometimes they may fluxuate if we way them on a scale or compare 'apple to apples', but people have the ability to produce some of the most interesting and profound 'everythings' ever made. According to the first paragraph in chapter 12, Zihang Yin started her own business after the the closing and banruptcy of a company. How many people take initiative to start their own business after a coperation closes? Most people that are in a position such as hers would lose it, because their families are depending on the income of that job. Zhang Yin kept on going and used her energy to produce the same thing any coperation has. To me equality is based on our individual God given ability.
ReplyDeleteI think there are downfalls in everything but the important part is their "trying" to improve their gender equality. They have evolved (and still is)from oppressing women, discrimination in work force, one child birth policy and sexual harassment and selling young girls, which were results of having more than on daughter or not having a son first. China has actually seen much success with women in politics, economics and workforce.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think gender equality has taken many steps forward, it is nowhere near where it should be. When it is still looked down upon in many east Asian cultures to have a female child as opposed to a male child, people are still greatly discriminating against women. What these people, and these cultures, need to realize is that females are equally capable as males, and there is no shame in having a female child. Also I wonder if they realize that if everyone took this approach, and aborted any female fetuses, their would only be males in the world, and they would have no females to get married to or reproduce with, thereby ending the human race.
ReplyDeleteIt made me sad to hear that women were cutting their hair or doing things to their bodies just so they could be like men. Even though they could not do anything, the fact they can work is a HUGE improvement. Little by little is a good thing. Once they get their foot in the door, more things will open up (hopefully). I agree with Desiree when she said it is heartbreaking that they wold get an abortion. To me, it is saddening because you are killing something! Hopefully abortions will not be done as much one of these days.
ReplyDeleteI also think China has made significant improvements when it comes to women's rights but there is still a lot left to accomplish. I like how this chapter addressed the cultural ties to women being treated unequally because culture is a common excuse across the world for atrocities. The thinking is if a practice is something that has been done for thousands of years than obviously it must be too engrained in the society to stop or change. China is a great example of how that isn't true, women used to be treated a lot worse, foot binding, forced prostitution, etc. but have since stopped a lot of those traditions in most parts of the country. I really think that a county as large as China with very deep cultural roots can make progress for women equality, that everywhere else can too.
ReplyDeleteI was disgusted when I read about how women were treated back in the 1920s. Getting their hair ripped out and getting their chest cut off is incredibly terrifying. Also, it bothers me that women would get abortions if they knew the baby was going to be a female. I realize that people wanted to have baby boys so they could carry on their family name, but females are important too because they are the ones who are able to reproduce! I agree that women are gaining a lot more rights in China and in the rest of the world. Women are a lot more respected and treated more fairly today as well.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that women are gaining more rights in some aspects, it is important to note the amount of social pressure there are under as well as the rights still being denied to them. Indeed entering the workforce is a positive but the way that women are being allowed to enter the workforce must be examined as well for in many ways, it has the potential to not be progress. Working in substandard conditions for virtually no pay can be as harmful as no employment or rights and as physically damaging as slavery or trafficking.
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