Cho Nam Joo's bestseller- Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982- is more than 'just another feminist book'. It was originally published in 2016.
It's every woman's story- South Korean or not.
Be it the developed countries from Europe or North America, underdeveloped or developing countries from Asia, Latin America or Africa, women across political, geographical and man-made barriers have been subject to struggle from the womb to the tomb- to survive, to live life on their own terms, to dream....
Narrated in a no-frills fashion, from a third person point of view, by the protagonist's therapist, the life of Kim Jiyoung is as ordinary as my own or that of countless women around me. That ordinary-ness alongwith minimalist and simple words, make the story completely relevant and relatable, stark in its 'normalizing gender discrimination' undertones.
Jiyoung has grown up being discriminated against her younger brother at home and male classmates at school. This continues at the workplace where her male colleagues earn more and get promoted, although she's just as competent and capable. Right from the clothes she wears to the subject she wants to study, she and her older sister have to 'compromise' while the brother grows up pampered and entitled.
In South Korea, although modernisation has occurred, the traditional patriarchial society continues to favour sons over daughters and male employees over females. Misogyny is deep rooted in society,while gender disparity and sexual discrimination is glaring in the workplace, schools and home.
In a typical manner, Jiyoung sacrifices her career to look after her child, becoming a housewife, but she faces flak for freeloading on her husband's income!
Damned if you do, damned if you don't!
Women are constantly judged for their choices in life, always expected to sacrifice themselves and their dreams at the altar of familial duty. It's taken for granted that household chores are a woman's job and so is looking after the children. No one ever expects the men to choose between career and home/family!
Bolstered with hard statistics, the writer puts forth her case, highlighting the glaring gender discrimination rampant the world over. It's a book which makes me sad and angry at the same time because being a woman I can relate to it all....
To conclude, the unembellished account of Kim Jiyoungs life makes one realize we're not fighting men here, we're fighting for equal rights, treatment and opportunity as human beings.
The book had stirred a hornets nest and fuelled the MeToo protests by South Korean women against the skewed gender equation. When it was made into a movie in 2019, these voices grew louder against blatant sexism and patriarchial social norms.
A must-read for everyone.
Comentários