The Persecution of Being A Woman

A COLLECTION OF POEMS

Addison Portell

The Persecution of Being A Woman

06/10/18

Early Adulthood

Marriage

Adolescence

Mother

Childhood

Kim Ji-Young's Stages of Life

1982-1994

Childhood

01

• School-life
• "Boys are more physically active"
• Wore pants/shorts, t-shirst, and sneakers
• Girls wore skirts, tights, and dress shoes

"When I was just a little girl, And as little girls were taught then, I played with dolls and a teaset, Made mudcakes for food, Wore skirts, made my hair into ponytails as I was let. I saw the boys with the abandon which comes with free wear and play, And I thought to myself, why am I a girl...."

Written by Monisha - Hello Poetry

I Am a Girl

• Women are supposed to be quiet and complaint
• Take care of her husband
• Become a stay-at-home mom
• Those were the expectations of women

A word from her Was nonsense. The kitchen-her office. A girl as if made To toil and suffer. Those days, are they gone?...."

"In the olden days To be born a girl Was a curse. Yes, a curse. Nobody recognized her When decisions were made-

Written by Esther

To Be Born A Girl

02

1995-2000

Adolescence

• Followed home
• Father blamed her
• "Don't smile at strangers"
• Moved schools
• Her classmate catching the flasher
• Scolded for the wrong reasons

"When I was sixteen, oh sweet sixteen, And as sixteen year old girls were taught then, Don’t wear clothes that show your frame, That’s indecent and you will be in another home and will incur alot of blame. Don’t wander, argue, or express an opinion, You’re a girl, being humble, quiet and gentle becomes you. I saw the boys then with the abandon which comes with freedom of movement and speech, And I thought to myself, why am I a girl...."

Written by Monisha - Hello Poetry

I Am a Girl

• Realizes what society expects from her
• Finds out her mom gave up teaching
• Eun-Young gave up journaling and became a teacher
• Eun-young fighting gender roles

"...No matter man or woman, we are born into roles. The woman, the one whose mind stands and pleads on her legs, bring about equality But whose body reacts not out of her own accordance and moves Moves, graceful, gentle, elegant, and FEMININE. As society tells her, she is a woman, and that is her role. Where she wishes to stomp, she stands on her tiptoes. Where she wishes to thrash, she glides across the floor. A puppet bound by the hands of society, pushing, pushing To free herself, to change what being a woman means, what (gender) equality means...."

Written by Eggink - Power Poetry

Gender Inequality

2001-2011

Early Adulthood

03

• Difficulties finding a job
• Societal expectations
• Harassment and discrimination at work
• Looks up to Min-ji

"Being a girl in my day and age, you get used to all the horn honks, the wolf whistles, and the "hey baby's", and the guys saying "you're too pretty not to smile", as though not having a smile on my face at all times is a sin. But why should I smile when harassment becomes normal, when a girl can't report it because even the police thinks she should be flattered...."

Written by Tasa Jalbert - Hello Poetry

My Thoughts on Harassment

• Expected to become a housewife
• Expectations are set lower for women
• Mi-sook working to support her brothers

When I was older, and passionately sought a particular career, I was admonished as many other girls in my time, It’s not a career for women, late nights, more men to be around, When you get married, that’s not going to work and troubles will abound. I saw the boys then with the abandon which comes with the freedom of pursuing their dreams, And I thought to myself, why am I a girl.

Written by Monisha - Hello Poetry

I Am a Girl

04

2012-2015

Marriage

• Enjoyed her career
• Didn't want to be reduced to a house-wife
• Ending up quitting her job
• Gender inequality

"When I was married, and setting a home, working and raising a family, I left my work as many other girls in my time, For my husband to follow his work path, Unquestioningly, unflinchingly, resolutely. I saw the men then with the abandon which comes with freedom of being in control of their lives, And I thought to myself, why am I a girl...."

Written by Monisha - Hello Poetry

I Am a Girl

• MIL pressured them to have children
• Daehyun would 'sacrifice'
• Ji-Young already took care of Daehyun while working

Buries the red charcoals And finally seeks Her restless bed His snores Welcome her to bed Four hours to sunrise His snores rouse her from bed Six sharp Arrive O, wife of the husband!"

"...His snores Protect the sleeping hut But the day’s Load And the morrow’s Burden Weigh heavily over The stooping mother as she Sweeps the hut Bolts the pen

Written by Micere Githae Mugo

Wife of the Husband

2016-present

Mother

05

• Loves her daughter, but misses working
• Feels hopeless
• Doesn't know she's suffering
• Is afraid to ask for help

"Happy eyes stare, filled of ocean blue, Trying to love, holding and hugging you, Dormant smiles, buried deep, Hiding my pain, inside I weep, Hour glass runs out, flipped once again, Feeling less zombie, gaining control of my head, Hearing you laugh, seeing you crawl, Suddenly amazed, Inhaling it all, “The sun is shining,” I say holding you, “Let’s go out and observe,” just us two,..."

Written by Stephanie Page - Postpartum Progress

The Sun Will Shine: A Poem on Postpartum Depression

• Ji-Young's mental health is struggling
• Cleaning, cooking, caring, and providing
• Judged by businessmen
• Daehyun lacks understanding

Do you know how it works? This old parenting lark? You spend your day doing ‘nothing’ and then get given a mark... Has the washing been folded? Did you clean in the loo? Is the dinner not ready?? Really - what did you DO?!?.... Why is the sink full of cutlery, pots, cups galore? And why is there washing all over the floor?? The TV is dusty, the floor needs a wash, You think you’ve been busy? What a load of old tosh.

Written by Sarah - Arthurwears

Stay-at-home Mum poem

To finish what you’ve started To quieten your mind Whether that be work Or your duties as a “mom” The load is so heavy Your feet can feel numb ⠀ Yet you keep running Rushing to the next thing Your life is in fast forward It’s always in full swing

• Tries to go back to work
• Not supported by MIL
• Mentally recovering
• Criticised and judged
• Daehyun tries to help

I know that you’re trying To give the best you can To be the mom they need A support to your clan ⠀ I see you late at night In the early mornings too Sometimes in the car And even on the loo ⠀ Utilising every second That you can barely find-

Written by Emma Heaphy - Blog

Working mother

• Kim Ji-Young went through many hardships growing up in South Korea
• At an early age, Ji-Young dealt with gender inequality at school and in her home
• Her grandmother favored her brother over her and Eun-Young
• Boys in her school were allowed to rough-house in t-shirts and shorts
• A man followed her home on the bus, and her dad said she shouldn't smile at strangers
• Ji-Young was taught to be quiet and compliant
• She was criticised for choosing a career path for herself and not for her future husband and family
• The females weren't take as seriously at Ji-Young's job
• Her Mother-in-law taught her to serve her husband and become a stay-at-home mother
• Ji-Young was pressured to have a baby
• She suffered post-partum depression, and was judged for being a SAHM
• Her MIL criticised her for wanting to go back to work
• All of these difficulties in her life has shaped who she is as a person. Although complaint, she knows how she's being treated is wrong

Reflection

• My presentation represents different stages of Ji-Young's life, and how she faced gender discrimination in all of them
• Starting from childhood to motherhood, Ji-Young was constantly judged, scolded, and taught how to act
• Althought constantly being put down, Ji-Young is strong, and continues her journey
• Ji-Young represents an everyday woman in South Korea, and that's what makes the story relatable
• Whether you're a woman living in South Korea, or like me, in the United States, everyone can learn something and realte to Kim Ji-Young

Reflection

References

• Monisha. (2020, February). I am a girl. Hello Poetry. https://hellopoetry.com/poem/3718371/i-am-a-girl/

• Esther. (2017, October 12). To be born a girl. Medium. https://shesthefirst.medium.com/to-be-born-a-girl-4d336bbba629
• Jalbert, T. (2015, June). My thoughts on harassment. Hello Poetry. https://hellopoetry.com/poem/1219778/my-thoughts-on-harassment/
• eggink. (2014, July 31). Gender inequality. Power Poetry. https://powerpoetry.org/poems/gender-inequality
• Madelynkasula. (2014, March 6). Mugo, “wife of the husband,” and radical feminism. World Lit 2014. https://worldlit2014.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/mugo-wife-of-the-husband-and-radical-feminism/
• Hatfield, J. (2016, May 20). The sun will shine: A poem on Postpartum Depression. Postpartum Progress. https://postpartumprogress.com/sun-will-shine-poem-postpartum-depression
• Sarah. (2019, July 31). Stay at home mum poem. Arthurwears. https://www.arthurwears.com/2019/07/stay-at-home-mum-poem.html
• Heaphy, E. (2022, February 19). Working mother. Words of Emma Heaphy. https://www.hangingwiththeheaphys.co.nz/blog/00hwztr5po8qkknb4atmtkvss5v641