Redefining gender rules - women of today
I do not see anything wrong in ladies working hard, BUT if it is only ladies working and no men in sight - who normally are found idling, chatting, sipping tea/coffee, drinking, reading paper, playing cards, then sorry it does not work with me
And that is what has been disturbing me for the past few days. Two parts to it:
a) I am not sure with others, but I have noticed often that it is only women who do such hard labor, or sweeping streets (compared to men), construction labors and so on. Where are the men doing all such work? My two days of photo shoot left me nothing but this observation - that men had hardly been working and women had been doing all the hard work.
b) Traditionally our society has been - men are bread earners, and women look after kids, providing nourishment, household chores (cooking, cleaning, washing), being harassed, no respect for them, dependent on spouses for living.. etc, the list is endless. And men go and work, wife would prepare meals for her - if not in office she would come in fields to bring him food; when he is back from work - give him tea, evening snacks; cook food and if anything is left after all days work, have some food and sleep.
But am glad to see that things are improving. From the Annual Report 2007-08, Ministry of Labor, chapter 11:
"...the work participation rate for women was 25.63 per cent in 2001.This is an improvement from 22.27 per cent in 1991 and 19.67 per cent in 1981."
So women are more independent now, they are not like objects at home or to look after household chores, kids, food etc - they are bread earners too, they earn good and most often than not - more than their spouses, they can do whatever was believed to be men's territory - be it hard labor on street or a corporate leader. And that is why I mentioned 'redefining the traditional gender rules - the role of men and women, if I may call, 'carved out in the society'.
And it is for this (part b), that I wanted to post this one. That men don't take everything for granted :)
And that is what has been disturbing me for the past few days. Two parts to it:
a) I am not sure with others, but I have noticed often that it is only women who do such hard labor, or sweeping streets (compared to men), construction labors and so on. Where are the men doing all such work? My two days of photo shoot left me nothing but this observation - that men had hardly been working and women had been doing all the hard work.
b) Traditionally our society has been - men are bread earners, and women look after kids, providing nourishment, household chores (cooking, cleaning, washing), being harassed, no respect for them, dependent on spouses for living.. etc, the list is endless. And men go and work, wife would prepare meals for her - if not in office she would come in fields to bring him food; when he is back from work - give him tea, evening snacks; cook food and if anything is left after all days work, have some food and sleep.
But am glad to see that things are improving. From the Annual Report 2007-08, Ministry of Labor, chapter 11:
"...the work participation rate for women was 25.63 per cent in 2001.This is an improvement from 22.27 per cent in 1991 and 19.67 per cent in 1981."
So women are more independent now, they are not like objects at home or to look after household chores, kids, food etc - they are bread earners too, they earn good and most often than not - more than their spouses, they can do whatever was believed to be men's territory - be it hard labor on street or a corporate leader. And that is why I mentioned 'redefining the traditional gender rules - the role of men and women, if I may call, 'carved out in the society'.
And it is for this (part b), that I wanted to post this one. That men don't take everything for granted :)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment