Hi, I found this entire conversation interesting. As a chinese, who moved to US at a young age, I have my own view on the subject. When I was younger and had more belief in the communist system, I did think that Mao helped with the status of women. I still think that is true. Although it wasn't just Mao's idea. The entire communist system demands equality, its one of the basic premises. How far that idea has spread is harder to say. While most women do work outside of the home (unless you're rich), that is more about survival and money issues, than women's right. Eventhough there are now women's programs (for spousal abuse, and rapes) there is still a stigma attached to the issues. The best view of women in china today, I think is best sum up in a story I read. This woman was raped and force to marry an old man, b/c she was not a virgin. She was then beaten, and mistreated. She pretends to cheat on the old man, then commits sucide as revenge. This story is very much symppathetic to the female hero, at the same time, it seem to say: "bitterness is a woman's lot" Or to quote another favorite author of mine: "Women are the mule of the world".
As with infancide, I don't have stastics, but it is not common. Espicially in cities, where most couples keep one child due to space, as much as the one child rule.(which is much relaxed now) It also doesn't seem right to blame the communist gov. for increase of infantcide; the cause of infantcide is b/c girl-child is not valued, not b/c of the one child rule.
Sorry to be so long, but once I got started, I couldn't stop. Although as exception goes, neither my mother or me have ever keep quiet, just b/c a man was speak. And my female boss, who came from a family of 5 sisters and one youngest boy had this to say:"He was the favorite, and we all knew it was only b/c he was a boy, so we all made his life HELL." Sometimes personal will marches on regardless of culture.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2004-04-28 07:08 pm (UTC)As with infancide, I don't have stastics, but it is not common. Espicially in cities, where most couples keep one child due to space, as much as the one child rule.(which is much relaxed now) It also doesn't seem right to blame the communist gov. for increase of infantcide; the cause of infantcide is b/c girl-child is not valued, not b/c of the one child rule.
Sorry to be so long, but once I got started, I couldn't stop. Although as exception goes, neither my mother or me have ever keep quiet, just b/c a man was speak. And my female boss, who came from a family of 5 sisters and one youngest boy had this to say:"He was the favorite, and we all knew it was only b/c he was a boy, so we all made his life HELL." Sometimes personal will marches on regardless of culture.