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| Choi Seung-beom / Courtesy of Power of Thinking |
"I'm Male, and Feminist" calls for fixing male-first attitude
By Park Jin-hai
The #MeToo movement is provoking changes in Korean society, but still the changes have remained on the part of women. As seen in the recent case of a K-pop singer Irene of Red Velvet, who said she had read the book "Kim Ji-young Born in 1982," which is labeled a feminist novel, and received a fierce backlash from male fans, who burned her photos and shared their stories online, feminism in Korea seems to have a long way to go.
Amid Korean society's lukewarm reaction to sexual injustice, a male teacher, of a boys' high school, in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, published a book on feminism, characterizing himself as a man supporting feminism and trying to educate some 800 male students.
Choi Seung-beom, a Korean literature teacher at Gangneung Myeongnyun High School, wrote "I'm Male, and Feminist" (literally translated). It is his second such book after he co-authored one, titled "We Need Feminist Teachers" published last year.
Choi says he came to learn about feminism when he attended university and was influenced by a junior at his university. When Choi asked him why a male student was studying feminism and the junior, who then was participating in a feminist study club, simply replied that he didn't know anything about it.
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| "I'm Male, and Feminist" by Choi Seung-beom |
He looks back on himself and his father as perpetrators and accomplices in that.
Discovering the tired face of his working mother, who had to carry the burden of all the housework after returning home from work is where it begins. "The starting point that makes a man a feminist is when he feels guilt over his mother's life," says the author.
At his high school, sexually offensive jokes seeing women as sexual objects ran rampant among students who just say they wanted to sound strong and fun. Many male students casually joke around and encourage their classmates by saying that "studying 10 minutes more will make a huge difference on the appearance of their future wife," revealing the popular perception of women as a trophy of their social achievement.
In Korean literature classes, famous poet Yi Yuk-sa's poem "The Summit," with a conclusive and commanding voice, was taught as "manly," while Kim So-wol's poem "Azaleas," with a soft and passive voice, was said to be "feminine."
Choi raises questions and tries to change his students' attitude in his classrooms.
Ultimately he says feminism sets men free as well. If the patriarchal system breaks down, men would be set free from the thought that they should be responsible for the lion's share of marriage costs, or will be able to raise objection to others who say men should not cry or be weak.
Choi says his students should learn about feminism in order not to be left behind the times. "Feminism is riding on the historic movement that intends to expand universal human rights. It is not something one can just walk away from or ignore. Instead of thinking of pressing down women's voices, men should learn more about feminism to catch up with the changes of the society," the author advises.
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