Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Asia is sometimes stereotyped by Westerners as being patriarchal, Confucian.etc with demure women and domineering men, but in some ways I actually think in some Asian countries at least things seem MORE equal now than in the West.
In China, in particular, women often seem quite outspoken and families are quite matriarchal. Communism tried to make men and women more equal, so a lot of women did the same jobs as men. You had women soldiers, engineers, mechanics, labourers, police.etc in both the Soviet Union and China before Western countries.
In Vietnam, Malaysia, India women are often employed in the construction industry actually building things...how often do you see this in America or Europe? I hardly ever see any female construction workers. In Israel, although in West Asia, conscription is for both men and women.
Engineering, computer science.etc is still overwhelmingly male-dominated in most Western nations (at least here, can't speak that much for other countries, but I assume it's similar) but in places like China, Taiwan, Singapore the ratios are much more equal. Less so in Korea, Japan, I've heard. Not sure about say Thailand or Indonesia.
I feel the whole 'macho' culture isn't as prevalent among Asian males, who are sometimes quite androgynous, or nerdy.etc. Males and females often seem to relate more as equals rather than as males and females first and people second.
Of course Asia is very diverse and there is still a lot of really bad inequality that one rarely sees in the West, but I'm just saying in some ways (but not others) it seems more gender-equal than the West.
My sample size isn't that large, and I'm not sure if the same trend exists in China; but in about half of the Chinese American households that I'm familiar with, it's the wife who wears the pants in the house.
I am an Indian male and my European wife says that I am one of the least sexist people she has ever met. Oh and we live in Canada (Canadians pride themselves on gender equality). Surprise, surprise, there is PLENTY of sexism here, just hidden behind a veneer of civilization. Both men and women are guilty of it. It's very subtle but it's there. A few examples:
1. My wife goes to buy lumber and the guys laugh at her because that's not a "woman's job". What the F is that attitude?
2. When my wife and I attempt to cross parking lots (not together) with our arms full of boxes, vehicles stop for her about 70% of the time, and for me, about 30% of the time. I know what the reason is most of the time "He's a guy, he can afford to wait for a while and build his biceps. Oh, that's a woman, poor weakling, let's stop for her before she collapses".
3. Coworkers and friends with young kids are anal about what kind of gifts (right down to the colours) they receive, so that boys don't get girl things and vice versa.
4. I don't know crap about machinery, woodworking or tools - my wife is much better at that. But guys prefer to speak to me about those things, even when it's all Greek to me. Conversely, women will not talk to me about so-called girly things, even though what is girly and what is not is a concept cooked up by society.
I am anything but macho. That doesn't make me any less of a man than other men. In my part of India, we consider macho men to be savages that you don't want to be associated with. But so many men here consider me "girly" because I don't fit their (Western) definition of maleness.
Of course, this doesn't mean that I represent all Indian men. I know that some Indian men can be sexist arseholes. So, on a societal scale, I don't know if what you say is true or not. I know this though - Western society is much more sexist than it claims to be, particularly on the west side of the Atlantic.
Oh yeah, and I'll add this: on the continuum of sexuality, where 0 is hetero and 100 is fully homosexual, I'd consider myself a 0. Western culture still confuses the concepts of sexuality and gender roles.
^ Good point, man. In India male friends can also show their affection for one another physically without being labelled gay. And yes, despite feminism it's like, society still thinks a woman can't even carry her shopping bags! Women do have muscles after all. I still notice a lot of 'girls/women should do this or that, boys/men should do this or that' talk here. The West likes to think it's so advanced and egalitarian when it's not that much.
The Philippines, Indonesia, India and South Korea have had a female head of state. We're still waiting for our first. Also, something like half of the world's female self made billionaires are from China.
The Philippines, Indonesia, India and South Korea have had a female head of state. We're still waiting for our first. Also, something like half of the world's female self made billionaires are from China.
A lot of Chinese businesswomen seem really ambitious and driven. I think just the way people relate in China seems more gender-blind in some ways.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
