I am most interested in diversity and equality of gender in Japan. The country is known to be behind in gender equality in many areas. I would like to practice explaining gender issues, ranging from political to personal ones, in academic concepts through this seminar.
My interest in this field started with my need to understand myself. I have had a peculiar experience as a girl, who spent her childhood in a girls’ school for 12 years and once was in love with a classmate for a while. At that time, we knew so little about gender or sexualities. We never quite understood what we were doing, but we were sure there was something wrong with our relationship. And so I ran away from it and abandoned any thoughts about it until quite recently. After graduating from high school and enrolling in a co-education university, I started to question more about what it is to be a woman, what was wrong in our relationship, or why I did not want to think about it.
In the university, I found myself not being able to adapt to a new environment with both men and women. There have been several occasions where I strongly felt that men and women are treated unfairly. Some male students objectify women when they talk to each other. Some female students do what male students expect them to and not what they want.
During my freshman year, I took several courses that deal with gender. In an English Reading class, I read articles about gender and sexuality in Disney films and discuss them with other students. The peace studies class from the spring semester introduced me to the idea of Johan Galtung's theory of direct, structural, and cultural violence. At the end of the term, incorporating Galtung's ideas, I wrote a term paper about how neo-liberalism enlarges the gap between men and women. In the English Listening & Speaking class, I chose networked feminism as a theme of one of my research projects and gave a presentation.
From these classes and some books, I learned various concepts of gender - the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity, the fluidity of gender, or misogyny ingrained in both men and women…etc. These ideas helped me to be mindful of others and to improve my self-esteem. Using the knowledge that I acquired last academic year, I would like to learn more about the issues surrounding people of minorities and discuss them with other students in this seminar. Since students in this seminar have interests in various minorities, it will be a wonderful opportunity for me to examine intersectionality.
I am studying abroad in the United States for a year from this August to study Gender and Sexuality Studies. I wish to take this seminar when I come back in the fall semester next year. （継続履修希望）There may be some stories that I will be able to share with the class from my experience in the U.S.
Additional thoughts from 1st class:
April 19
I was surprised to know that many other students have some interest in gender issues. It is relieving to know that people around my age have the same concerns for society.
I talked about relationships between gender roles and fashions with other students. It reminded me of the misogyny that I realized I have inside me. I have always thought of women as losers in society. It seemed that wearing makeup, skirts, or high heels, speaking in a high-pitched voice, would only degrade the position of women. There has always been the need to differentiate me from "women."In the end, however, feminism is not about women having the same quality as men or becoming "strong." The goal of the movement is for people of all gender to be valued as equals. Hence my questions are the followings. How can women get over the misogyny ingrained in them? What do women think about other women in general and why?
Another question I have is about marriage. There were a lot of discussions concerning marriage, from same-sex marriage to dual surnames. While I completely agree that people should have the same rights in their marriage, I wonder why the institution of marriage is so important. Why do people want to get married? What is the institution of marriage for? What are the advantages of marrying, in both personal and political contexts?