I shared your hope for a more narrow look at specific parts of South Korean culture that contributed to the problems women face there. I expected more exploration of the philosophy underlying these differences, and I think your explanation of a greater appreciation for American individualism gets at that by contrast. Jung’s narrative framed Korean feminism as basically the same as feminism everywhere else, just at a later point in time and with more hurdles to overcome. Yet her description of what Korean feminists were responding to helped me appreciate how different and complex feminists movements can be.
I'm still only about halfway through part 3, but still hope to finish the book in the next few weeks. I'm listening to the audiobook and it's obviously not one I want to listen to in the car with the kids, so I'm only fitting it in occasionally. Still, it's definitely been eye-opening. I really had no idea what Korean cultural expectations for women were like and it's really been shocking to me. It's given me a better sense of how different the challenges feminism faces in other countries. I think the question of pluralism is an interesting one. Reading the novels of Chimamanda Nogozi Adichie has also had a similar effect on me in terms of feminism in a Nigerian context.
Really, any time I've been exposed to a marriage different from my parents', or mine; or any time I've been exposed to someone living as a man or woman differently from my family of origin; my definitions have expanded.
I have often wondered if gender dysphoria might lessen if we could normalize broader definitions of masculinity and femininity. What if a man that likes pink, has a higher voice, and lisps didn't have to wonder if that means he has same-sex attraction? What if a woman who likes grommeted pants and short, spiky hair and camouflage didn't have people secretly speculating about the sex of her partner?
Regarding marriage, I'm going to tell everyone reading a huge secret. I have been attracted, on occasion, to men who aren't my husband. Guess what? My marriage didn't end. I didn't act on it in any way, except to erect extra guardrails. It didn't mean I had married the wrong person, and it didn't mean someone besides my husband was my soulmate.
In general, if we didn't have such narrow definitions of what marriage, manhood, and womanhood look like, I think there could be less confusion surrounding them.
I shared your hope for a more narrow look at specific parts of South Korean culture that contributed to the problems women face there. I expected more exploration of the philosophy underlying these differences, and I think your explanation of a greater appreciation for American individualism gets at that by contrast. Jung’s narrative framed Korean feminism as basically the same as feminism everywhere else, just at a later point in time and with more hurdles to overcome. Yet her description of what Korean feminists were responding to helped me appreciate how different and complex feminists movements can be.
I'm still only about halfway through part 3, but still hope to finish the book in the next few weeks. I'm listening to the audiobook and it's obviously not one I want to listen to in the car with the kids, so I'm only fitting it in occasionally. Still, it's definitely been eye-opening. I really had no idea what Korean cultural expectations for women were like and it's really been shocking to me. It's given me a better sense of how different the challenges feminism faces in other countries. I think the question of pluralism is an interesting one. Reading the novels of Chimamanda Nogozi Adichie has also had a similar effect on me in terms of feminism in a Nigerian context.
Really, any time I've been exposed to a marriage different from my parents', or mine; or any time I've been exposed to someone living as a man or woman differently from my family of origin; my definitions have expanded.
I have often wondered if gender dysphoria might lessen if we could normalize broader definitions of masculinity and femininity. What if a man that likes pink, has a higher voice, and lisps didn't have to wonder if that means he has same-sex attraction? What if a woman who likes grommeted pants and short, spiky hair and camouflage didn't have people secretly speculating about the sex of her partner?
Regarding marriage, I'm going to tell everyone reading a huge secret. I have been attracted, on occasion, to men who aren't my husband. Guess what? My marriage didn't end. I didn't act on it in any way, except to erect extra guardrails. It didn't mean I had married the wrong person, and it didn't mean someone besides my husband was my soulmate.
In general, if we didn't have such narrow definitions of what marriage, manhood, and womanhood look like, I think there could be less confusion surrounding them.
Looking forward to reading more about the rally!