Women's Day
Today is International Women's Day. This festival, commemorated at the United Nations, represents almost a century of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development. Unlike other festivals, the story of International Women's Day has not been the past.
Someone suggests that the French Revolution sparked off the movement of Women's Rights. Parisian women calling for "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage. And the first Women's Day was observed in US on 28 February 1909. It seems that democracy can bring the Rights of Women.
In the ancient Greek, citizens who could vote for the democratic government and public affairs did not include women as well as children, slaves and prisoners. Women were considered as naive, incredible, sensational, dependent and slaved. After two thousand years, some people still think of women in such way today.
The movement of Women's Rights can be considered as two directions. One is to eliminate the traditional impression of women and discrimination. The other is to struggle for equal rights and positions.
The former is less controversial. Although Hilary Clinton and Angela Merkel are good examples of strong women, strong women are minor and the image of strong women is not agreed by all people. If your wife were mature, credible, rational, independent and mastering, it had sounded good but would you still consider her as your honey, Man? (Yes, Brokeback babe.) The prejudice is nothing wrong but should not set up any boundary against women.
Therefore the latter is currently the main objective. As mentioned in the above, no boundary should be set up against women. But sometimes it is not easy to define a boundary. For example, a rule of a company says that any employee is not allowed to leave more than a month or resigns. This rule is equal to both women and men. Does it fair? No, it is not fair for pregnant women. This shows equality does not mean fairness. The physical difference between men and women easily causes systematic discrimination against women.
In addition, gender discrimination is more controversial than homosexuality discrimination and racial discrimination. Homosexual people and minorities are minor; their circles are somehow separated from the circle of the major. It is not easy to observe one's race and sexual orientation in his/her resume or even meeting. On the other hand, gender is obvious and effective. You know your mother is female, your wife is female, and your daughter is female. You have a mother, will mostly have a wife and may have a daughter. You cannot escape from facing a woman. It is easy to accept something ineffective to you, but not easy to accept something strongly effective to you.
Gender Equality is not easy. What is it? Why do we need it? How equal is it? How do we achieve it? When you celebrate this festival by shopping or party, it is worth for you to rethink the meaning of the festival.
* To my mentee Javy: Happy Birthday. Cheer up for your career and fortune.
Someone suggests that the French Revolution sparked off the movement of Women's Rights. Parisian women calling for "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage. And the first Women's Day was observed in US on 28 February 1909. It seems that democracy can bring the Rights of Women.
In the ancient Greek, citizens who could vote for the democratic government and public affairs did not include women as well as children, slaves and prisoners. Women were considered as naive, incredible, sensational, dependent and slaved. After two thousand years, some people still think of women in such way today.
The movement of Women's Rights can be considered as two directions. One is to eliminate the traditional impression of women and discrimination. The other is to struggle for equal rights and positions.
The former is less controversial. Although Hilary Clinton and Angela Merkel are good examples of strong women, strong women are minor and the image of strong women is not agreed by all people. If your wife were mature, credible, rational, independent and mastering, it had sounded good but would you still consider her as your honey, Man? (Yes, Brokeback babe.) The prejudice is nothing wrong but should not set up any boundary against women.
Therefore the latter is currently the main objective. As mentioned in the above, no boundary should be set up against women. But sometimes it is not easy to define a boundary. For example, a rule of a company says that any employee is not allowed to leave more than a month or resigns. This rule is equal to both women and men. Does it fair? No, it is not fair for pregnant women. This shows equality does not mean fairness. The physical difference between men and women easily causes systematic discrimination against women.
In addition, gender discrimination is more controversial than homosexuality discrimination and racial discrimination. Homosexual people and minorities are minor; their circles are somehow separated from the circle of the major. It is not easy to observe one's race and sexual orientation in his/her resume or even meeting. On the other hand, gender is obvious and effective. You know your mother is female, your wife is female, and your daughter is female. You have a mother, will mostly have a wife and may have a daughter. You cannot escape from facing a woman. It is easy to accept something ineffective to you, but not easy to accept something strongly effective to you.
Gender Equality is not easy. What is it? Why do we need it? How equal is it? How do we achieve it? When you celebrate this festival by shopping or party, it is worth for you to rethink the meaning of the festival.
* To my mentee Javy: Happy Birthday. Cheer up for your career and fortune.
Comments
Haha!