The Exclusion Of Women During The Meiji Period

Throughout this course, we learned that women’s studies originated as a concern at the time that “women and men noticed the absence, misrepresentation, and trivialization of women [in addition to] the ways women were systematically excluded from many positions of power and authority” (Shaw, Lee 1). In the past, men had more privileges than women. Women have battled for centuries against certain patterns of inadequacy that all women experience. Every culture and customs has divergent female

For the longest time, women’s role in society was very narrow and set in stone. Women weren’t given the chance to decide life for their own, and there was a very sharp distinction of gender roles. Women were viewed as inferior, weak, and dependant. They were expected to be responsible for the family and maintainance of the house. But as the 19th century began, so did a drastic change in society. Women started voicing their opinions and seeking change. Trying to break away from this ideology called “cult of domesticity” was a lengthy, burdensome, and demanding struggle.

The Fifteen-Year War was a time of great turmoil and uncertainty in Japan. Various facets of the country were tested and driven to their limits. During the occupation, race and gender began to evolve in ways that had not exactly be seen before. War had a tremendous impact on every part of the life of a Japanese citizen. Both men and women began to fill roles that were completely novel to them. Race became a part of the definition of who people were. As the war progressed and American troops landed on Japanese soil for occupation, more drastic changes occurred. Economic hardship and rations befell the people of the Land of the Rising Sun. Prostitution began to rear its ugly head and rape transpired. Through memory, research, and vivid

During World War II, approximately 120,000 people of Japanese descent who lived on the Pacific Coast of the US were sent to internment camps after the bombing at Pearl Harbor by Japan on December 7th, 1941. American citizens made up 62% of those who were interned. And even though these American citizens were being unconstitutionally blocked off from the rest of society, the majority of these citizens still declared that they remained forever loyal to America. Some of the recollections left behind by the internees of their experiences at these camps include letters to their loved ones, diaries, pictures, and even full plays. And while living in often cramped, and poorly maintained conditions, the internees still tried to lead normal lives

Ronald Takaki told his experiences of military men, immigrants, and the government during World War II. The United States was hypocritical having ethnic groups fight for freedom but not treated as equal individuals nor having full access to the “Four Freedoms”. (Takaki, 7) As articulated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 6, 1941, the Four Freedoms are freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Equally important, Ruth Benedict argued that Hitler’s Anti-Semitism required Americans to challenge their own racism. (Takaki, 6) There is no master race, as Hitler argued. Everyone is from one race: the human race. During World War II racism was not only in the service it was also still going on with civilians. As World War II took place, Takaki expressed his feelings about the military men, the immigrants, and the government because the United States was very hypocritical. All of this can be seen in the WWII experiences of Japanese Americans, African-Americans and women.

The Heian court of medieval Japan was a progressive and dynamic society where women commanded a fair amount of power and respect. In many ways it seemed to be the basis of the "rank n file", material culture of today’s society. The social structure of society throughout the court was set up in three different ranks. In chapter two, Genji’s friend, To no Chujo explained the three roles and how they determined the role of women in court. Women of high rank would be the wife of a high ranking elite, thus responsible for raising the future heirs, women of lower rank were concubines and often had better relationships with the man than his wife. did It was this complicated ranking system that led to the abundance of accepted promiscuity, however the two roles kept a bit of stability and normalcy throughout the court.

Women in Western Europe and Japan compare and contrast religiously, politically, and economically. Religiously, women in Western Europe were better off with the advantage of becoming a nun than women in Japan were who lost their role in Buddhist and Shintu rituals. Politically, feminist thinkers were allowing women to have a greater say politically but there were fewer female rulers or regents in Europe. Japan who had female empresses prior to Koken was less inclined to have success. Economically, women in Japan could not inherit land but were able to be in the merchant class, while women in Europe could also inherit land; they were better off and more economically engaged than Japan with the running and working of a craft guild.

With the arrival of the Allied Occupation, the United States of America introduced many reforms to Japanese society. “Equality of the sexes, woman suffrage of 1946, all inequalities in laws was ended and high schools became coed” (Friedman). Since the 1950’s women have sought more individualized means to provide for themselves with a sense of well-being. The most evolving aspect of post modernization has been women’s attitudes toward marriage and the family system. Women have started to wait till later in life to marry and have placed education and or work as top priorities. Once married, however, many women now choice to continue to work especially after they work of child birth. The women’s role in the family is evolving and become more

1991 Japanese Mothers and Bentos: The Lunch Box as Ideological State Apparatus. Anthropological Quarterly 64(4):195-208.

More directly, Tsurumi states “for the majority of peasant families survival was impossible without women and their work” (Tsurumi, 16). This makes the importance of Japanese women to their households during the period of history prior to the Meiji Era indisputable. Nevertheless, even as familial roles changed during Japan’s shift to a money economy, the support women provided to their families remained steadfast, as the earnings they made at factories were often sent back to their homes to support their families. As the need for women to find jobs that could pay them in cash grew, the potential for women to help support their families, or the ability to reel “for the sake of the nation” attracted women and girls to the first silk reeling mill in Tomioka. Tsurumi affirms this by saying “service to the nation, family economic interest, or a combination of the two brought young women to Tomioka to become part of a proud elite striving both for national goals and for regional prosperity” (Tsurumi, 30). By portraying the act of working for a textile mill as a service to both their families and to their country, Tsurumi furthers the idea that the women of the time were heroes of their era. However, as

The war provided radical new employment opportunities for women in the U.S. Many took advantage of those opportunities which led to an increased employment among American women. These opportunities contributed in defeating the stereotypical tasks of women such as cooking, cleaning, and motherhood. It allowed women to prove their leadership and worth by working in the military, in governmental departments, and in public transport. On the other hand, Japanese women were treated as objects and presented as gifts to Japanese military troops. They were known as comfort women and were forced into prostitution services. This reveals the differences of women’s roles in America and Japan. American women were offered more noble involvements, and were

As many people know, the Second World War changed the role of Japanese women. Before the war they used to be stay home mothers, and they had duties such as, keeping the house clean, and taking care of their husband and children. During the world war II, women changed their roles. Because a significant amount of man went to war, many women had to take their jobs in order to keep production in the country. Women started taking jobs like arms factories and coalmines. (1) In addition, new opportunities arise at that time for women because they could even join the army. After the World War II, women keep their freedom when it comes to having the right to choose whether they were going to work or be an stay home mother. Moreover, they also gain more

This prevailing “value system emphasized new ideas of femininity, the woman’s role within the home and the dynamics of work and family”(Cult of Domesticity). These “true woman” are sustained “to possess four cardinal virtues: piety, purity, domesticity, and submissiveness”(Cult of Domesticity). She is explained to be the center of the family who is to do as she is told by the husband or male role of the house. Women continuously fought back on this in the sense that they can do so much more other than being a domestic housewife. In addition, one other ideal that was continuously holding back women was the glass ceiling. The ceiling was an “invisible upper limit… which it is difficult or impossible for women to rise in the ranks”(Lewis). These informal barriers keep women from getting promotions, pay raises, and further opportunities. As these were such a burden to hold onto, the group known as the League of Women Voters “was formed to help women take a larger role in public affairs after they won the right to vote”(League of Women Voters). The League of Women Voters aimed to help women exercise their responsibilities and freedom as society developed into an equal workplace community for women. As these barriers were slowly diminished, there have been lasting effects from the suffrage

Gender inequality is one of the central themes in the novel The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan. I think that the title “The Kitchen God’s Wife” itself recognizes that many individuals believe that a woman's role in society pertains to completing domestic chores. Her husband, the God, dominates over her actions in the kitchen. Basically, woman have no position, neither outside or inside the sphere of their home. It is revealed that social divisions between males and females in China continue from early childhood and last until late adulthood. To begin with, Winnie Louie is taught the importance of obeying others, putting others ahead of herself, and maintaining healthy relationships. When she first gets her period, her aunt tells her that a

Between 1968 and 1912, Japan was going through a reformation called Meiji Restoration in order make the country strong as western countries. It had caused changes in many parts of Japan such as society, government, military, etc. Some of these changes still can be seen in the Japanese society today such as emperors are honored by Japanese citizens and seen as a special figure. Since this reformation had a great impact on development of Japan, it can be consider as a very important part of Japanese history.This study will seek to answer the question: To what extent did the Meiji Restoration succeeded to reform and strengthen Japan? In order to answer the question, the investigation will analyze military reform and economic reform caused by