womens-role-in-todays-society

Bernadette1301010717Vera1301010720•Referringtowomen’sroleinsocietyofChina,thefirstwordcomingtomymindis“change”.Especiallyin20thcentury,women’srolehaschangeddramaticallyintermsofbothstatusandvariety.Inthepast,Chinesewomenhadaverylowsocialstatus.Women,ingeneral,wereinferiortomen.Womenweretoremainignorantandtoobey--first,theirfathers;aftermarriage,theirhusbands;duringwidowhood,theirsons.•Consideredtheprivatepropertyofmen,theirresponsbilitieswastopleasetheirhusbandsandtobearchildren.Symbolicofwomen'ssubserviencewasthepracticeofbindingwomen'sfeetwhichlastednearly1,000years.•Now,theirroleshavebeenundergoinggreatchanges.Womenhavetheabilityandchoicetocreatetheirownlives,ownbusinesses,becomewhatthey'vealwaysdreamed,speaktheirminds,orbalanceafamilyandacareer.•Insteadofbeingtheprivatepropertyofman,now,theyhaveequalstatusasmaninfamily.•Doinghouseworkandraisingchildrenbecomethecouple’commontasks,notonlythewife.•Fromworkingasnursesandteacherstoworkingasdoctors,engineersandmanagers,womenarenolongerconfinedtoworkincertainfields.Theyevensurpassmeninsomejobswhichusedtobeoccupiedbymen.▪ParentsinChinawouldcustomarilyarrangemarriagesfortheirdaughters.Afterthewedding,aChinesewomaninChinawouldmoveintothehouseholdofherhusband‘sfamily.Apartfromthethreeobediences,theymustobeythefourvirtues（fidelity,physicalcharm,proprietyinspeechandefficiencyinneedlework).Theyhadnorightintraditionalmarriage.●Monogamyhasreplacedbypolygamy•Nowadays,womamhaverighttochosetheirhusband.Oncetheyreallywanttofinishtheirrelationship,theyalsohaverighttodivorce.divorceEducation•ManyChinesewomeninChinaremainedataneducationdisadvantage.Fewwomenreceivedaneducationinpast.•Theyareequalineducation.Tosumupthesituation,womenbecomemoreindependent.Still,thereexistsomeproblems.Especiallyinsomeruralareas,womenarestillinalowerposition.Theyhavetoobeytheirhusbandsandarealmostilliterate.Therefore,womenstillhavealongwaytogotowardsacompletelyequalsociety