Gender equality is good for both genders

Break your gender stereotypes.

by Youth Reporter Cheayeong Park

Gender conflicts are getting worse all over the country. Korea is one of the most gender-conflicted countries in the world nowadays .

This phenomenon starts when men and women get burdened by struggling with gender stereotypes or conforming gender stereotypes. Many women's rights activists tried to change this but the process of solving gender problems went the wrong way and made us think that we should treat women better than men.

Many people know what is wrong about radical feminism. However, few people know what examples give people gender stereotypes and what the original meaning of being a feminist is. It starts from our traditional customs which keep forcing us to be “feminine” or “masculine”.

For example, when we look at our textbooks, we can easily see women doing chores and men working outside. Also, girls are often portrayed as nice students and the boys often as naughty students.

Gender stereotypes also prevent us from choosing the job we want. It is conventional for the society to expect females to choose static jobs and males to choose kinetic jobs.

By accepting these stereotypes, we put ourselves into a box and that stops us from being our true selves.

True feminists should fight against these old customs--because fighting against gender stereotypes makes both men and women happy.

“Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum instead of two sets of posing ideals. All that is needed for the forces of an evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing.”

-Emma Watson-

“When men share housework and child care, the men are healthier. They smoke less, drink less, less like to be diagnosed with depression, less like to be taken prescription medication. The men are happier and healthier. And who wouldn’t want that?”

-Michael Kimmel-