Koreans’ stereotypes about gender roles regress compared to 3 years ago[Editorial]
이 글자크기로 변경됩니다.
(예시) 가장 빠른 뉴스가 있고 다양한 정보, 쌍방향 소통이 숨쉬는 다음뉴스를 만나보세요. 다음뉴스는 국내외 주요이슈와 실시간 속보, 문화생활 및 다양한 분야의 뉴스를 입체적으로 전달하고 있습니다.
Koreans’ stereotypes about gender roles have regressed compared to three years ago, according to a new survey. According to the survey conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family that Kyunghyang Shinmun reported, 26.4 percent of respondents agreed with the question that "housework should be done mainly by women," which was more than double the 12.8 percent in 2020. The response that "the financial support for the family should be mainly done by men" rose more than 10 percentage points. Other responses that “family’s decision-making should be mainly done by men” and “family care should be mainly done by women” also increased by 10 percentage points, respectively. This is an alarming and worrisome survey result that shows that the long-held stereotypes of binary gender roles in Korean society have been strengthened rather than broken down.
The problem is not just the figures going backward. What is even more hopeless is that negative perceptions of the changing status of women have been reinforced across generations and genders. Experts attributed it to the job insecurity of women during the coronavirus pandemic and the spread of misogyny under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. In particular, the impact was noticeable in people in their 20s and 30s, and Heo Min-sook, a legislative investigator at the National Assembly's Legislative Investigation Office, said it appeared to be a "resignation" to conform to the existing system. In other words, the government's support for misogyny is adding salt to the wounds that have already begun to fester.
Nevertheless, the ministry did not disclose questions about gender role stereotypes when announcing the result of the recent survey. The purpose of such a survey is to identify and improve the reality, but if it intentionally left them out, it can only be interpreted as self-denial by the ministry, which is on the brink of extinction.
The government has a lot to do to improve awareness of gender equality. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has also recognized the importance of the government's role in raising awareness of gender equality. However, it is questionable whether the Yoon administration has the capacity and will to do so. The government made sophistry that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family could be abolished because there was no structural gender discrimination. After Minister Kim Hyun-sook's resignation, the ministry has been neutralized under the unpromising “system of acting vice minister.” Is it okay to run the country lawlessly like this?
The government should take the reality of the report seriously. Structural inequality remains severe, as shown by the glass ceiling index of Korea, which ranks last among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The right thing to do is not to eliminate the ministry, but to find it a right place and a right role. Above all, we cannot solve the low birthrate problem unless we change the perception of gender equality. The government should not continue to divide the people by dividing them by gender.
※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.
Copyright © 경향신문. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.
- [단독]‘입꾹닫’ 산업부, 액트지오-석유공사 공문 제출요구에 “안보·영업기밀” 부실 답변만
- 4만명 몰린 대학축제서 술 먹고 춤춘 전북경찰청장 ‘구설’
- 심수봉 “박정희 대통령 당하는 것 목격, 제정신 아니었다”
- 1630마리 중 990마리 돌아오지 않았다...30대 직장인이 밝힌 진실
- [속보] ‘액트지오’ 아브레우 고문 “우드사이드, 조기 철수로 탐사자료 심층분석 못해”
- [에디터의창]출생률 제고를 위한 성욕과 교미의 정치경제학
- 유명 가수 집 직접 찾아간 경찰관…알고 보니 개인정보 무단 조회
- 개혁신당이 ‘김정숙 특검법’ 내는 국힘에 “쌩쑈”라고 비판하는 이유는?
- 성일종 “윤 대통령 지지율? 인기 없는 엄격한 아버지 모습이라 그래”
- [단독] 세계유산 병산서원 인근서 버젓이 자라는 대마…‘최대 산지’ 안동서 무슨 일이