From the Readers

Women in China and the US

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-07-01 16:07

Comment on “China is still a man’s world” (China Daily website, June 27)

In terms of legal or official practice, Western societies, I believe, are more developed in their treatment of women, especially in terms of pregnancy and motherhood.

There is a factor, however, that is missed out in the comparison. China has a hard-working culture, where many, mostly men, work very long hours. In that sense, the concessions made for pregnancy are proportionally lessened. But the article brings up a good case that the official laws need to be improved.

While equality throughout the world is still lacking in my opinion, in relative terms I do not agree that China, as a whole, lags behind because the laws are not sufficiently advanced. It sounds like a watch-group motivated statement when someone judges a country's state of affairs by certain fixed parameters without actually living there.

On the social level, it varies too widely to compare really. On the one hand, many Chinese men do not bring up the matter of sex until becoming more familiar, which I find is more respectful. And I know many who cherish their wives and families to the point that it changes them noticeably through the years I have known them since bachelorhood. On the other hand, there are many who sink into a selfish cycle that is so disappointing.

Likewise, while America's laws look great for women, socially I'm not so sure, there are always the indicators that give away more than a brief exam of the surface, like when top university students are found to commonly refer to their female counterparts as "sluts".

neutral observer, via China Daily website.