在中国妇女平等(Womens Equality in China)

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

despitetheenormousstrideswomenhavemade,iarguethatchinesewomenstillhavealongwaytogointheirstruggleforrealequalityineveryfieldofthesociety.

needlesstosay,attitudesaremoredifficulttochangethanlaws.inprinciple,womensliberationorequalityisnolongeraproblem,andwomenareentitledtocompetewithmenforjobsonequalterms.butinpractice,womenarestillthoughtofasinferiorthatcannottakeupresponsiblejobs.casesofsexualdiscriminationareoftenheardof.thesituationisevenworsenowwhenthemarketorientedeconomyisadoptedandpersonalabilities,bothphysicalandintellectual,areincreasinglystressed.

nolongercanthegovernmentinfluencetheemploymentpoliciesofenterprises,whicharenowinfavorofmaleapplicants.onthejobmarket,manycompaniesandfactoriesareunwillingtoemploygirlgraduatesbecausetheydontwanttospendtimeandmoneytrainingthemwhiletakingtheriskoftheirleavingtohavechildrenaftertheygetmarried.whenemploymentratedrops,womenworkersareusuallythefirsttobelaidoff.inshanghai,forexample,manyfemaleworkersmerelyoverfortyareforcedtoreturnhomeorretire.

theyaccountfornearly90percentofthepeopleoutofwork.eveniftheyareallowedtocontinuetoworkuntilthelegalageforretirement,theirchancesofpromotionaremuchmoreslimthantheirmalecounterparts.eveninthegovernment,despiteitscommitmenttowomensequality,womenhaveprogressedslowlyingainingaccesstopoliticalpower.thereisnowomanamongthesevenmembersofthestandingcommitteeinthepoliticalbureau,nowomaninthegovernmentalministerialpositions.doubtsastowomenscapabilityaredeeplyrootedinchineseculture.

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

thepictureofwomenslibertyisnotquitethatrosy.paidmaternityleaveorfewcasesoffemaleleadershipmeannothing.theresistancetotreatwomenasequalsofmenisprofoundandstubbornsothatequalitycontinuestobethelongtermgoalofchinesewomen.