From Rutgers News Oddly Enough Section
Best Mom Chosen as Face of Currency
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's central bank on Monday chose the face of Korean motherhood as the first woman to be featured on its banknotes, but women's rights groups say the selection only reinforces sexist stereotypes.
Shin Saimdang, known for raising a famed Confucian scholar and having a deft hand in painting, will grace the new 50,000 won ($55) note when it debuts in early 2009, the Bank of Korea said.
Women's groups say her selection bolsters the idea that mothers should stay at home and devote their lives to their children's education.
Shin, whose nickname is "wise mother," gave birth to the 16th-century scholar Yi I, also known by his pen name Yulgok. She is celebrated for placing her son on the path to fame.
A paper on a government Web site describes Shin as "the best example of motherhood in Korean history," while the central bank said she was selected "to promote gender equality and women's participation in society."
Women's rights groups acknowledge Shin as an important figure but have been pushing for other female candidates, who have risen to positions of power and respect in a male-dominated society, to be placed on the new note.
"Although women nowadays are highly capable and educated, the idea of 'wise mother and good wife' holds them down," said Kwon Hee-jung, secretary general of the women's rights group
IF.
More than a dozen women's rights groups plan to protest against the bank's decision.
Yulgok's face is already on the 5,000 won note. Shin will appear on the second-highest valued note after the new 100,000 bill is also issued in 2009.
I think that it is awesome that a woman is going to be on currancy. I also understand why women's groups would find this offensive, especially because of the status of women in Korea.
Thoughts?
Best Mom Chosen as Face of Currency
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's central bank on Monday chose the face of Korean motherhood as the first woman to be featured on its banknotes, but women's rights groups say the selection only reinforces sexist stereotypes.
Shin Saimdang, known for raising a famed Confucian scholar and having a deft hand in painting, will grace the new 50,000 won ($55) note when it debuts in early 2009, the Bank of Korea said.
Women's groups say her selection bolsters the idea that mothers should stay at home and devote their lives to their children's education.
Shin, whose nickname is "wise mother," gave birth to the 16th-century scholar Yi I, also known by his pen name Yulgok. She is celebrated for placing her son on the path to fame.
A paper on a government Web site describes Shin as "the best example of motherhood in Korean history," while the central bank said she was selected "to promote gender equality and women's participation in society."
Women's rights groups acknowledge Shin as an important figure but have been pushing for other female candidates, who have risen to positions of power and respect in a male-dominated society, to be placed on the new note.
"Although women nowadays are highly capable and educated, the idea of 'wise mother and good wife' holds them down," said Kwon Hee-jung, secretary general of the women's rights group
IF.
More than a dozen women's rights groups plan to protest against the bank's decision.
Yulgok's face is already on the 5,000 won note. Shin will appear on the second-highest valued note after the new 100,000 bill is also issued in 2009.
I think that it is awesome that a woman is going to be on currancy. I also understand why women's groups would find this offensive, especially because of the status of women in Korea.
Thoughts?
2 comments:
Yes, it is cool that a woman will be on the Korean currency, but I'd like to know how she raised her son before she is thusly honored. And aren't there women in Korean history who proved themselves beyond their husbands and children? Hmm, I wonder how long before the US puts uber-breeder Michelle Duggar on some currency.
I feel pretty much the same way as you do. It's awesome that they're putting a woman on their money, hell we don't have a woman on any of our money. And at the same time I get the women's rights people as well. It seems to me likethe Korean government is giving a little, just a little, in order to try and keep people happy but little did they know that people would have a problem with her being on the money b/c she was a great mother. I kind of feel like while it does try and enforce the idea of mothers being in the house, it is also an expression of motherhood as an important role that should be valued. We're really big on a woman's right to choose to be a mother or not as well as the choice to stay home or not but when we meet a woman who is a stay-at-home mom or wife, we tend to look at her like what's wrong with you? I know I'm personally guilty of this b/c I really don't understand that choice. But I think that if we really mean that a woman should be able to chose then we can't look at her funny when she chooses to stay home. So, it's really a double edged sword. We say value them but when they're going to get recognized for doing a good job we oppose and say it should be someone more accomplished. I see threads of capitialism here.
Also, I would like to point out that the government and the bank are saying two sparate things about why she was chosen. So yes they're doing to appease and at the same time enforce patriarchal ideas.
- I started thinking I didn't have much to say about this but then I started typing and I guess I was wrong.
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