Reflective Journal 3

Zhang Jin Lin 4P2 32

Reflective Journal 3: Reflect on the changing roles of women. You may choose to consider how the changing roles of women in society made an impact on you by drawing on examples from China, the United States and/or Singapore.

The role of women in society has changed considerably over the years, having a higher standing, treated with higher regard and playing a far more important role in society these days.

Women were once thought to be inferior to men, and as a result women’s role in society was relegated to simply serving the man, who was considered to be biologically superior. As such, in the past women were often more inferior than men. This can be seen from the past Chinese societies, where woman had barely any standing in society, and were treated almost as commodities. Men were allowed to have multiple wives, while the wife/wives would stay at home and take care of the house and the children. Furthermore, women were not allowed in governmental position. They often had no say whatsoever and had to listen to whatever the men dictated. In some cases, the eldest son was even considered to be superior to their mother, while daughters were often unwelcome to the family. The reason for this may be that in the past, menial labour was often required in work such as farming, and as men were biologically stronger than woman, they would have more say, which gradually evolved into men being superior to women. Such practices existed in China for more than five thousand years, and have thus lead to stereotypes even in today’s society, that the women’s jobs include making food for men and taking care of their daily necessities.

However, in today’s society, such stereotypes are gradually falling. Women are gradually taking their place in all forms of society, in economic, society and family, and are having more and more say and power in today’s society.

A perfect example of a woman who possesses an important role in society would be Hillary Clinton. Where men once had all the say in politics, Hillary Clinton had managed to enter herself into the race for president, and garnering huge support amongst the American’s. Although she failed to get elected, she garnered 46% of the total delegate votes in her race against Obama in the Democratic Party Primaries in 2008, a mere 8% off Obama’s 54%. This reflects the American’s acknowledgement of women’s changing role in society, that women should be given a say in politics. She eventually became the secretary of state for America, further emphasising people’s willingness to give women more say and power in politics. In China, women too are gaining more power in the realm of politics, though not as much as in America. An example of a woman in China who has reached the peak of China’s political sphere is Wu Yi, who was the Vice-Premier of China; changing the age old mindset in China that woman can never take charge in politics.

Although the role of politics is still dominated by men, women are slowly but surely earning their position in the realm of politics. The same can also be seen in the realm of economics. More and more women are going to work, instead of staying at home and taking care of the household like in the past. Many families have both the man and the woman working for a double income, in order to support their family in this day and age. As shown in the Bureau of Labour Statistics, both the husband and wife were employed in 47.8% of families in 2010, a huge increase from the 33% of 1976, showing that increasing number of woman who now work to support the family. This changes the stereotype that woman can only stay at home and support the family, proving that women do indeed can do what men do – work and support the family.

However, despite all the success in changing the role of women and dispelling stereotypes of women – such stereotypes are deep rooted and do not go easily. This can be seen from the fact that woman still do not receive equal treatment as men both in the economic and political sphere. Although women are allowed to work nowadays, their salary only remains at 75% of that of men’s, and they often face the risk of losing their jobs when they get pregnant, as their employers view women as useless and only a liability when they are pregnant. Furthermore, in the politics arena, despite breakthroughs that has been made by women such as Hillary Clinton and Wu Yi, women in politics is still a rare sight today, with only 17%, or 535 seats in congress held by women, while in China, with none of the 9 members of China’s Communist Party standing committee, the most powerful decision making body in China, while just 3 out of 27 government ministers are woman.

In conclusion, the CDE lessons on feminism have taught me that the role of women is changing slowly but surely, however, certain deep rooted stereotypes do remain, and women still have an uphill task ahead of them in their battle for equality with men.

800 words.