ReNe: international women's day

Today is IWD.

This is the first time I've been aware of IWD. Why? Because it's Singapore's fault that IWD is not well-publicized? Because it's my own fault for not being more aware?

Well, whatever the case, because of the huge snowstorm outside, I spent most of today indoors and reading various stuff on the net, including many newspapers.

BEST COUNTRIES TO BE A WOMAN

Measures of well-being include life expectancy, education, purchasing power and standard of living. Not surprisingly, the top 10 countries are among the world's wealthiest.

1. Iceland
2. Norway
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Japan
9. Netherlands
10. France
    
    

SOURCE: UNDP Gender-related development index

Not surprisingly, Singapore's not on that list. And not surprisingly as well, the US is also not on that list. And I'm gleeful to note that Canada is on that list.

In some countries such as Afghanistan, there is outright discrimination and abuse of women. That's physical abuse, and ironically, what I think is easier to address. What's more insidious is psychological abuse. Take any well-off country; laws prohibit outright gender discrimination and women do, seemingly, get equal opportunities in education and in work. But there's still a marked difference in the way women are treated; there are different expectations of girls and boys, who from birth are given gender-specific names, expected to play with gender appropriate toys, wear gender appropriate clothing, and so on so forth ad nauseum. Some will argue that girls and boys are different, to which I concede a point, but as long as society continues to emphasize the gender divide, there will always be discrimination because many of the ways in which this gender divide is enforced are through discriminatory means.

For example, what's the point of high heels? To shape a woman's buttocks and calves and emphasize the sway of her gait.

And why should that be desirable? To enhance her sex appeal.

Fine. Why don't guys do it? Because guys' bodies are different and high heels wouldn't enhance a guy's sex appeal.

All right. So is there an equivalent sex appeal enhancement tactic for guys that's equally uncomfortable, damaging and constricting?

I'd admit that's a very flogged example. There probably are uncomfortable sex appeal enhancement tactics for guys but I am sure they do not number as many as uncomfortable sex appeal enhancement tactics for women. My point is: many of these discriminatory methods still exists even in progressive societies, but often, they are not recognized as tactics that still shackle women. Of course high heels are not as bad as Chinese foot bindings, and tight jeans are not as bad as corsets. But even though these remnants are milder counterparts of archaic practices, they still carry shades of the old meanings. Worse, they have become mainstream, normal, *accepted*, and therefore will not be questioned. And so gender discrimination persists on. It's like not finishing a course of antibiotics because by the time you're three-quarters through the course, you feel 'fine'.

Happy International Women's Day.