Gender Role the Contemporaneous Society

Gender Role

The contemporaneous society prides on offering equal opportunities to all races and both genders. Historically however, men and women were treated in different manners and were subjected to different standards of behavior. In the Asian cultures for instance, women had to wear uncomfortable pieces of clothing and suffer painful efforts to reduce the size of their feet. The Japanese kimonos and the Chinese practice of feet binding represent worthy periods in the history of gender roles as they reveal the additional efforts women had to undergo in order to satisfy the social demands, most often generated by men.

Compare and Contrast

The Chinese and Japanese populations were built on social classes, each with their importance and role. The social classes and their relationship to the gender roles are succinctly presented in both articles. In this order of ideas, food binding initially occurred within the upper social classes and was practices by the wives and daughters of wealthy Chinese officials. In time however, the practice became popular for the women in lower social classes. The situation is somewhat similar regarding the kimono. While all women had and worn them, this would occur at varying times and with various styles. Otherwise put, the women in the upper social classes would wear kimonos on regular basis. The Japanese women in the lower social classes, however they often owned a kimono, would only wear it at special occasions, such as weddings or graduation celebrations.

Then, another feature approached in both articles is given by the combination of style and functionality. Foot binding was often considered as preventing the women to perform their household chores. For instance, foot binding would first occur between the ages of five and seven, but some peasants would delay the procedure as to benefit from the mobility and working capabilities of their young daughters. The Chinese in the upper social classes did not have to consider this aspect and their daughters had their feet bound at early ages. In terms of wearing the kimono, the style and functionality are also looked at from the social standpoint. In this order of ideas, the wealthy women wore the kimonos on regular basis. This represented an art, which could be mastered only after years of training. The Japanese female wearing the kimono had to be graceful, delicate, and still be able to perform her duties. The women in the lower social classes saw wearing the kimono as an unpleasant chore, even more so when they had no training for it. The average Japanese woman would ware a kimono once or twice a year for a special occasion and she would look very uncomfortable in the traditional dress.

Then, choosing the proper kimono, made from silk of the highest quality and revealing the desired patterns and design of the fabric was a means of revealing social class. For instance, the kimono of a geisha revealed differences in the cutting patterns or in the quality of the fabric. Getting the best kimono was often a competition between the Japanese women and the situation has also been encountered in China. Here, small feet were perceived as a sign of beauty and were a major determinant of marriage. Women in both China and Japan competed against each other to own the best kimono or have the smallest feet. The competitions were most often set by the need to attract the attention of the men and find a wealthy and influential husband. In retrospective, it could be said that the practices, mostly the feet binding, represented the oppression of women and were aimed to make them feel inferior to the male population.

Another major similarity between foot binding and kimono wearing is based on the relationships that are established between the central players - the women. Both foot binding as well as kimono wearing were accompanied by rituals where only women were allowed. Nor Chinese or Japanese men were allowed to participate to the rituals. Aside from the primary scope of the ceremonies, the practices would also help women bond. The older women, the experienced geishas in Japan or the mother in China, would pass on her wisdom to the younger female, the novice geisha or the daughter. While helping the young Japanese woman put on her kimono, the more experienced geisha would discuss the role of the kimono within society. When binding her daughter's feet, the Chinese mother would tell her how small feet would help her find a rich husband. In both cases, men did not play any part.

Both articles detail the actions that would occur. This a main difference between the two practices as one was extremely painful, and one was rather pleasant. For instance, the foot binding procedure saw that the "girl's feet were tightly bound with bandages, which forced the small toes inward and under the sole of the foot, leaving only the big toe to protrude. Then the heel and toe were drawn forcefully together, breaking the arch of the foot" (Cross-Cultural Dressing). In putting on the kimono, the practice was more pleasant, and the main role of the tradition was to pass on knowledge on how to wear and choose the proper kimono. "Okasan slipped it (the obi-age) over the pad that held the back loop of the obi secure and as she tied it in the front she said 'Here is a trick for keeping the front knot in place. All the geishas tie their obi-age this way'" (2).

Another major point of difference between the two articles is the time lines they refer to. While the writing on the Chinese feet binding reveals historical facts, the one of the Japanese kimonos presents contemporaneous data. In both pieces however, the authors mention the view over western clothing. Historically, Chinese men and women would argue that feet binding was no more painful than the western tradition of having women wear corsets. Modern views see both traditions as forms of women's oppression by the men, who had to point out a major difference between genders. The contemporaneous approach to kimonos is more relaxed, meaning generally that Japanese women seldom wear the kimonos. They often only own one or two, which they only wear at highly formal occasions. Foremost, they often feel relieved when they can replace it with western clothing.