By: Adrian Mombay and Patmai De Vera
The road to gender equality has been cumbersome at best and fantastically botched at worst (globally and historically). In the Philippines it is neither too drastic, nor is it far from unnoticeable. Typically, gender inequality has affected the Philippines slightly when it comes to culture. In the business and political sector however, the modern day woman is gaining stable footing; why, just recently we've had our first female president. Sure, there are times when gender discrimination bogs up the people's judgment (socially like not allowing female children to remain out late at night, having tons of bars/clubs with female attendants/entertainers [though in the Philippines, men have a lot of those too]).
Analysis on the situation is not as bad as it used to be though. In fact, evaluating the female perspective, the Philippines has had it better than most other countries. During pre-colonial times, the female gender was considered a mighty and respected aspect of humans. So much so that we had female datus ruling tribes and commanding men (who had man-servants to pleasure them at night with penis rings that they'd puncture right in the middle of their shafts by order of their female datus). We all know that such an idea elsewhere would be heretical (like how the Chinese love sons but hate daughters, or how in Europe, only men were considered worthy of education).
But as we move onto the future, we leave these old memories and dated relics aside and start asking questions fit for the modern world. Are women truly equal to men? Should men and women be offended if they truly aren't equal? Is it so bad to not be equal if the reasons being are logical or reasonable? In the past, we used to see the issue of gender inequality somewhat as a black and white painting. With modern day photoshopping, we can add tonal values, different hues (because there never truly is a white or black on the matter; only several shades of grey).
Women nowadays are more independent, more in control. Feminism couldn’t express any more pride than the Meryl Streep’s musical number “Dancing Queen” in Mama Mia. No, but kidding aside. I am proud of the women of today for expressing that a lot of them can stand on their own. Take for example, single mothers. I mean, yeah, sure, it’s not good that there are lots of single mothers out there, but there’s some sort of marvel at a woman who’s not desperately in need of dependency on some two-bit good-for-nothing to feed her, dress her AND her children. No, there are darn good souls out there who decided, and with queue music—that they “don’t need a man to make them happy”. They’re actually out of the kitchen and on their own!
Well, not just women, I more or less am just as impressed with men nowadays, some of them being metro-sexual and all. I see a lot of men becoming more vain and more open about their feminine side and not being so exaggeratingly over-reacting about it. I know men who pluck their eyebrows. I know men who search high and low for that specific facial wash that will fit their sensitive, oily-combination-type face. I appreciate that men now are caring to look more presentable, if not conspiring in turning all lesbians straight again.
So, humans are improving bit by bit. Women can actually go to school now, vote, get jobs and aren’t considered the secondary and weaker sex. And Men… are still there, but not as douche-y as before. There are still stereotypes of how men and women are supposed to act and whatnot, but stereotypes will always be there. Our ability to distinguish has been there since the dawn of time (if not, we’d all be extinct by now from trying so damn hard to become friends with the dinosaurs). So, the trouble isn’t in how men and women are different or if one is more superior to the other. Men and Women were never meant and are never going to be equal.
Because we were always meant to compliment each other.
