Women and men: how one still looks down upon the other by Tyler Myung

Although South Korea has come a long way since its war-torn, authoritarian past, it has failed to abandon its outdated Confucian roots—specifically the pillar of Confucianism that emphasizes men’s dominance over women. For all the technological advancements my country makes, it takes that many steps backwards in educating men about women’s rights and their boundaries. I hate to generalize, but I have to to illustrate how grave this issue is: Korean men have grown too comfortable in their patriarchal bubbles; because of their carefree, unrestrained behavior, women are often disrespected both physically and intellectually. There are two prime examples I can draw from South Korea that support this notion: our country’s ubiquitous rape culture and men's attitude towards feminism. 

Rape culture, an environment that trivializes and normalizes sexual violence and assault, is rampant in my country. There are numerous cases I can talk about; however, a 2018 report by Statistics Korea aptly sums them up as it notes that 3.4 sex-related crimes occur per hour. Additionally, a survey conducted by the government in 2015 shows eight out of ten workers, most of whom are women, have experienced sexual harassment of some kind at work. These rates are alarming, but what surprises me the most are the lax regulations surrounding these crimes. For example, Son Jong-woo, former owner of a massive child pornography site, was only incarcerated for 18 months. Another sex offender in Cho Doo Soon raped an eight-year-old in 2008 and was only given a 15 year sentence, which was later reduced because of his pre-existing drinking tendencies. There are countless incidents of sexual assualt because men do not grasp the amount of damage they inflict on their victims, especially the ensuing emotional and mental trauma. Rape is in many ways another form of murder because the victims die inside. In a society where less than four percent of corporate executives are women and only 30 percent of judges are female, how are women expected to speak up and fight the system from within? The unprecedented number of attacks and men’s lack of accountability harm women and their rights. 

Not too long ago, I, a male teenager, scoffed at the idea of people being feminists. I thought that feminists carry a misandry agenda and that their objectives are trivial and baseless. However, upon learning what it means to be a feminist, a person who supports the equal rights and opportunities of both men and women, and why many Koreans have started to associate themselves with the #MeToo movement, I realized how limited my views were. The gender pay gap in South Korea is 37% which is three times the OECD average. There is also a severe shortage of women in prominent leadership roles as mentioned above. And once working women return home from work, they are expected to assume traditional housewife duties, adding another three or so hours to their plate. Misrepresentation and a lack of empathy from men are the reasons why Korean women feel disrespected and are inclined to be part of a feminist movement. But once they identify themselves as feminists, they put themselves in a more perilous situation, for men and even some older women view feminism as a rebellious, socialist act undermining capitalism. Therefore, regardless of whether they openly identify themselves as feminists or not, women face a lose-lose situation because they are oppressed for their ideas and desire for a better future either way. 

A generational, cultural issue of such a nature cannot be resolved overnight, so the best we can do is to take baby steps. What has to slowly change is men’s attitude. For example, if a woman does not consent to having sex, if it is not a mutual agreement, men should respect their decision and back away. We should make a collective effort to educate boys and men alike to not only relinquish the perceived dominance they have over women but also to abandon their selfish mindset. Men should realize that women are not tools or means to release their pent-up stress and that their actions have lasting implications. We need to inculcate the next generation with a fundamental respect for the opposite gender, and ensure that courtesy perseveres to adulthood.