FireFlower

Today, I would like to blog about sexism, again, after reading the latest chapter of Hourou Musuko and some forum threads at mangafox.com.

Warning: The following text may give you a mindfuck, or not. Read at your own consequences.




I dislike the notion that all men think about is sex. But then again, I dislike that I am a men because I think a lot about sex. I wished to be rid of such thoughts and attain enlightenment (check the page Testament of God). Blame the testosterone and other hormones.

I bet many would say that they do not sex-stereotyping people. But in reality, we could hardly avoid from doing so. The following text summarizes the typical sex-stereotyping that is depict in most TV programmes:


A girl with high libido - a slut.
A man with high libido - the MAN.
A guy hits a girl - scum.
A girl hits a guy - he deserved it.

If we really wanted to promote gender equality, I strongly believe that such sex-stereotyping had to be gone for good. Regardless of their gender, male and female have the same rights to fuck (have sexual intercourse does not attract attention as well as the F word). Likewise, hitting a male or female is equally wrong, not to mentioned that hitting male in the crotch real hard can actually kill.

I wish I was a stronger person to actively change these gender roles. At least with myself, I try to be what I want without letting what's acceptable for males and what isn't control who I am. For instance, I like my hair long and often use hairclips to keep it out of my face, and I have been mistaken for a girl a few times (which I secretly take as a compliment)


And more...


I have seen people forced into gender roles because of their sex, like boys being forced to have short hair. My school I was at when doing my GCSEs I saw a teacher actually almost forcing someone to get their hair cut because they were male (phoning the parents and such), he was not given the option, "well your hair is long so you need to tie it back". I mean I can understand having to tie your hair back at school if it is long but forced to get it cut pretty much when females can have it long is just too far.


These two forum posts truly reflected my feelings that I developed when I studied at Yu Hua Secondary School. I hated that place because of the haircut, and because the Chinese-Malaysia education system that they instilled in me had oppressed my thoughts and speech. Even in primary school, I already realized how unfair that some females could have long ponytail and various hair accessories while males were forced to do a crew cut. At that time, all I thought was why were there double standards?

I was quickly reminded of the double-standard practice of the Malaysian government for Bumiputeras and non-Bumiputeras. Aren't all of us Malaysian citizens?

When I was at varsity, I thought that I was free from all those social standards in my previous education stage but it was surprised to know that some "educated" people strictly followed the social dogma without questioning. I see that education have failed to open these dogmatic people to ideas, new and old. Until now, I am shame to say that I have not grow the courage to stand up against these sexism approaches. Even in my workplace right now, I have be asked to keep my hair short. To be honest, I like having long hair because it act as my symbol for rebellion against all the sexism that I have encountered.

Based on all the negative feedback I had in my stride against gender roles, that's how and when my passion of cosplay actually build up. At least the people from the cosplay community were more opened to ideas and critics compared to the "educated" people from varsity. Heck, the cosplayers that I were fortunate to know could actually talk openly about sexuality, when required to, as compared to those academicians and students who would pretty much avoided the topic altogether.

There's another passage written in the same forum thread which goes like this:


Talking about homosexuality, I'm annoyed that most men are so afraid of gay men, or anything that might make someone else think they are gay. I'm jealous of how close a girl can be to another girl without it meaning anything more than close friendship, but one guy being close to another means that they are gay. To use another example I have a friend who won't even sit next to me on a couch when he comes over to my house.


I have to admit that I, too would freak out if someone label me as a homosexual, or to associate me with a gay. I do not know how did I end up to be so afraid of the homosexuality topic, but I would not blame the sex-stereotyping as the sole cause. I suspect that my ego and pride also manipulated me unconsciously to behave in such a way. But still, as I read in the history novel Tyrant, most Greeks, slaves included, were known to accept homosexuality as part of their culture or even practiced it at some time of their lives. So, if homosexuality was acceptable in the past, how have homosexuality changed over the course of 2000 years that made it different and no longer accepted by people of the present?

The topic on gender is most intriguing indeed...