The term sexual or gender equality has very often been linked with a horde of shameless manhating feminists who comb the streets in masses advocating equality for both sexes. These ugly images are often turned into public jokes as men comment that the female species has already been give more rights than they really deserve. Does that mean that the feminist movement is already at war that has been fought and won? Does gender equality prevail in every society in this new millenium?
Gender equality basically means that both sexes have access to basic human rights such as food, portable water or what their particular country defines as basic human rights. This obviously is not happening in countries like China where baby girls are choked with ashes once they are born. Gender equality also means that whatever rights or benefits that males have will be likewise allocated to females. Again we do not see this happening even in more economically developed countries where the wages of a woman holding the same post as her male counterpart is 30% less.
Gender equality basically means that both sexes have access to basic human rights such as food, portable water or what their particular country defines as basic human rights. This obviously is not happening in countries like China where baby girls are choked with ashes once they are born. Gender equality also means that whatever rights or benefits that males have will be likewise allocated to females. Again we do not see this happening even in more economically developed countries where the wages of a woman holding the same post as her male counterpart is 30% less.
Therefore why is it so impossible for gender equality to exist, especially at this age and time where technology prevails and traditionalists are being seen as "stick-in-the-mud"? After so many years since the women's suffragette movement, the glass ceiling has still proven impossible to penetrate. One main reason is religion and its enduring importance to society. Religion has always been and will continue to be an intricate thread in modern society where the existence of a higher power is almost undisputable. Most religions advocate that a woman's role is one of subservience to her husband.
Religion therefore clearly states the role of both genders, that the men are leaders and breadwinners and the the women are supporters and mothers. These dictated roles left a deep imprint on the division of societies that we live in, becoming a tradition, part and parcel of our everyday lives. How much society chooses to conform to it can be clearly shown by statistics, even though the current society is one which believes it worships economic progress and information technology. Every year there are slightly more females graduating with a degree than males from the same batch. On the other hand, the number of top executive positions given to this same batch of women is far less that that given to males because of the mindset that females will place more emphasis on their family/children than their jobs.
The new wave of information technology sweeping through our global community has produced a faceless, genderless nation. Everyone is identified as just a number in the system and everyday countless business transactions are taking place under a credit card number. The boundaries between work and home are slowly being blurred and so are the roles of both sexes. Both men and women are able to work with just a computer whilst being involved in domestic responsibilities at home. This means more job and promotion opportunities for females, and males are expected to contribute more to the paternal nurturing of their children. Along with technology, comes birth control, contraceptives and the legalisation of abortion, all of which threaten to undercut the traditional role of women as mothers by giving them a choice. Therefore technology is an integral component in blurring the role between men and women, making gender equality plausible.
No matter how advanced technology is, it still does not contradict the fact that women are physically weaker than men. This allows leeway for rape, molest and domestic abuse which once again support the fact that men are dominant over women and that women are constantly at their mercy. The psychological and emotional make-up of a woman is also, stereotyped or proven, more towards the material and nurturing side. As the popular saying goes, "men think with their minds, women think with their hearts". This would make women less rational, a quality which is not respected in an economic society where rational decisions are of topmost importance - a disadvantage to women who are competing in a "men's world".
After years of advocating gender equality, some women these days are pulling back and changing their principles, choosing to believe that it is undesirable to have gender equality. This change in mindset echoes the ones made by our maternal ancestors who frequently frowned upon any act that suggested female importance. This change in view could be caused by an onslaught of juvenile delinquents often coming from homes where both parents are chasing economic status and no maternal care is provided.
If gender equality is undesirable, why then do millions of people across the globe still fight so fervently for it? That is because it is a fundamental moral truth that all human beings are born equal. It is written that Eve was created from a rib at Adam's side, not above him to rule over him, not below him to be trampled by him but from his side so that she will stand beside him, close to his heart so that she will be loved and cherished by him.
Writer is not a suffragette whatsoever. The above is a mere discussion as to the desirability of equality between the genders. Just a food for thought.
Religion therefore clearly states the role of both genders, that the men are leaders and breadwinners and the the women are supporters and mothers. These dictated roles left a deep imprint on the division of societies that we live in, becoming a tradition, part and parcel of our everyday lives. How much society chooses to conform to it can be clearly shown by statistics, even though the current society is one which believes it worships economic progress and information technology. Every year there are slightly more females graduating with a degree than males from the same batch. On the other hand, the number of top executive positions given to this same batch of women is far less that that given to males because of the mindset that females will place more emphasis on their family/children than their jobs.
The new wave of information technology sweeping through our global community has produced a faceless, genderless nation. Everyone is identified as just a number in the system and everyday countless business transactions are taking place under a credit card number. The boundaries between work and home are slowly being blurred and so are the roles of both sexes. Both men and women are able to work with just a computer whilst being involved in domestic responsibilities at home. This means more job and promotion opportunities for females, and males are expected to contribute more to the paternal nurturing of their children. Along with technology, comes birth control, contraceptives and the legalisation of abortion, all of which threaten to undercut the traditional role of women as mothers by giving them a choice. Therefore technology is an integral component in blurring the role between men and women, making gender equality plausible.
No matter how advanced technology is, it still does not contradict the fact that women are physically weaker than men. This allows leeway for rape, molest and domestic abuse which once again support the fact that men are dominant over women and that women are constantly at their mercy. The psychological and emotional make-up of a woman is also, stereotyped or proven, more towards the material and nurturing side. As the popular saying goes, "men think with their minds, women think with their hearts". This would make women less rational, a quality which is not respected in an economic society where rational decisions are of topmost importance - a disadvantage to women who are competing in a "men's world".
After years of advocating gender equality, some women these days are pulling back and changing their principles, choosing to believe that it is undesirable to have gender equality. This change in mindset echoes the ones made by our maternal ancestors who frequently frowned upon any act that suggested female importance. This change in view could be caused by an onslaught of juvenile delinquents often coming from homes where both parents are chasing economic status and no maternal care is provided.
If gender equality is undesirable, why then do millions of people across the globe still fight so fervently for it? That is because it is a fundamental moral truth that all human beings are born equal. It is written that Eve was created from a rib at Adam's side, not above him to rule over him, not below him to be trampled by him but from his side so that she will stand beside him, close to his heart so that she will be loved and cherished by him.
Writer is not a suffragette whatsoever. The above is a mere discussion as to the desirability of equality between the genders. Just a food for thought.
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General speaking
1 comments:
Whatever i like the last phrase
"That is because it is a fundamental moral truth that all human beings are born equal. It is written that Eve was created from a rib at Adam's side, not above him to rule over him, not below him to be trampled by him but from his side so that she will stand beside him, close to his heart so that she will be loved and cherished by him."
It means, both men and women must balance each others to live in harmony but STILL men as a leader and women as an assistant or consultant. Nice post Thanx :)
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