在中国妇女平等(Womens Equality in China)

详细内容

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mostpeople,evenwomenthemselves,believethatwomeninchinahaveachievedequality.theythinkwomennow"havehelduphalfthesky."theycantakeupalmostalltheprofessionsonceonlyoupiedbymen,andcanevenreceiveequalpayforequalwork.

despitetheenormousstrideswomenhavemade,iarguethatchinesewomenstillhavealongwaytogointheirstruggleforrealequalityineveryfieldofthesociety.

needlesstosay,attitudesaremoredifficulttochangethanlaws.inprinciple,women'sliberationorequalityisnolongeraproblem,andwomenareentitledtopetewithmenforjobsonequalterms.butinpractice,womenarestillthoughtofasinferiorthatcannottakeupresponsiblejobs.casesofsexualdiscriminationareoftenheardof.thesituationisevenworsenowwhenthemarketorientedeconomyisadoptedandpersonalabilities,bothphysicalandintellectual,areincreasinglystressed.

nolongercanthegovernmentinfluencetheemploymentpoliciesofenterprises,whicharenowinfavorofmaleapplicants.onthejobmarket,manypaniesandfactoriesareunwillingtoemploygirlgraduatesbecausetheydon'twanttospendtimeandmoneytrainingthemwhiletakingtheriskoftheirleavingtohavechildrenaftertheygetmarried.whenemploymentratedrops,womenworkersareusuallythefirsttobelaidoff.inshanghai,forexample,manyfemaleworkersmerelyoverfortyareforcedtoreturnhomeorretire.

theyaountfornearly90percentofthepeopleoutofwork.eveniftheyareallowedtocontinuetoworkuntilthelegalageforretirement,theirchancesofpromotionaremuchmoreslimthantheirmalecounterparts.eveninthegovernment,despiteitsmitmenttowomen'sequality,womenhaveprogressedslowlyingainingaesstopoliticalpower.thereisnowomanamongthesevenmembersofthestandingmitteeinthepoliticalbureau,nowomaninthegovernmentalministerialpositions.doubtsastowomen'scapabilityaredeeplyrootedinchineseculture.

tobehonest,inmyopinion,womenarenolesspetentthanmen.butthedoubleburdentheyhavetocarryinsideandoutsidehomerendersitimpossibleforthemtomakefulluseoftheirknowledgeandtalents.muchoftheirenergyisspentbandlingtheconflictingdemandsofcareerandfamily.eveniftheyholdleadershippositions,theyarestillexpectedtodomostofthehouseholdchores.thisleavesthemlesstimethanmenfortheirdutiesatwork.torturedbyself-fulfillmentandfamilyresponsibility,chinesewomenarealwaystaughttosacrificethemselves.

thepictureofwomen'slibertyisnotquitethatrosy.paidmaternityleaveorfewcasesoffemaleleadershipmeannothing.theresistancetotreatwomenasequalsofmenisprofoundandstubbornsothatequalitycontinuestobethelongtermgoalofchinesewomen.