itsreyntimebaby:

upaa:

Me (to older brother/little sister kindergarten students): 将来に何になりたい? / What do you want to be when you grow up?
Older Brother: やっぱりお医者さん!/ Of course I want to be a doctor!
Me: いいね!私の父もお医者さんだよ!◯◯ちゃんは? / That’s good! My dad is also a doctor. (Name of little sister)-chan, what about you?
Little Sister: えぇ?わからん!/ Huh? I don’t know!
Older Brother: お嫁さん?/ A bride?
Me: ◯◯ちゃんもお医者さんになったら? / How about (Little sister’s name)-chan became a doctor also?
Older Brother: えぇぇ!?(笑)Ehhh!? (Laughs)
Little Sister: 嫌だ!だって気持ち悪いもん。/ Ew! But their job is so gross!
Me: 慣れるよ!みんなも、最初気持ち悪いけど、時間経つと慣れるよ。/ You get used to it! Everyone is grossed out by it at first, but as time passes you grow accustomed to it.
Little Sister: さあ、どうかな〜 / Hmm… I wonder~

And if you think this is an isolated incident, it’s not. This is sadly an extremely common experience. I often street pass (wireless program on the Nintendo 3DS) little girls and I am often able to see what they have listed as their future aspiration. More times than I can count I have seen “将来の夢はお嫁さんになること” (My dream is to become a bride!) In fact, it is the most common future aspiration I have seen listed for young girls. I am the only girl I have ever seen list their dream as wanting to be a “boss” (将来の夢は社長になること). 

And even the teaching materials I have to use to teach my students English present women as having an expected gender role (housewife) and men are expected to work:

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And it goes on to say that, “My brother likes soccer. My brother is an athlete. My brother is active.” And then about his little sister, “My little sister has long hair. My little sister is cute.” Women are valued for their appearance and when they grow up they become housewives. Men are valued for their skills and when they grow up they can become whatever they want. This is not an isolated incident; all of my teaching materials reflect these prehistoric gender roles. 

I live in very rural Japan, where I have heard husbands call their wives 家内(outdated term to refer to your wife that literally means ‘inside the house’ and is considered to be quite sexist). And, when talking to a student, they said it is still normal for men to propose to their wives by saying: “毎日俺のご飯を作って下さい” (Please make my food everyday.) 

Anime for children also reflects these ideas, and from early on teaches women that they exist to bask in the male gaze (so many idol animes), where as men are taught that they are adventurers, sports players, etc. It is really incredibly depressing to watch. 

Pornographic magazines are displayed in broad daylight – portraying the idea that women exist for men’s enjoyment 24 hours a day. If they really must have those magazines on clear display of women in very degrading positions, why is there not a male equivalent!? Children are able to see those magazines as well, and can come to their own conclusions.

Japan is the third-largest economy in the world, and yet it has the OECD’s second-highest gender pay gap. In Japan, full-time working women earn nearly 28% less than their male counterparts. And, pregnancy leave for women rarely even exists. When women take time off work to have a child, they have to reenter the company at an entry level position.

In short, I am extremely irritated at the amount of people I have seen arguing that Japan is in any way a progressive society for women. It is not. Please stop romanticizing the way this society treats women.

I hate when people say “I want to live in Japan!!!1!!”

No. You don’t. It is a very unhappy place.