Gender, a new Prince, and Japan

[demeter918]

Princess Kiko has a baby boy, thus averting a so-called "succession crisis" in Japan.

There are times, really, that I fucking hate Japan. Or at least, when they're acting like such fucktards as to believe that a male heir is somehow, just somehow, better than a female heir. By whose standards? The conservatives? Some who think that the practice of concubines should be revived in order to replenish the imperial line? The Imperial Household Agency who have practically driven a women, who once had a flourishing and bright future in diplomatic relations, mad under their pressure to produce a male heir? The second prince? Who's philandering is well-known and not spoken of and who has criticized his older brother, the crown prince, for not doing his duty to his country? The conservative media, who continually criticizes Masako for not producing a male heir and her selfishness in not having more children?

From the beginning, I had known from an intellectual standpoint that there were many things different about Japan in regards to their treatment and thought of women, but this is the first time here I just want to scream. My starry-eyed view of Japan had faded a long time ago, but this, this just reminds me of why Japan is often criticized for it's sexism, racism, and classism.

... I'm going to go calm down and then rant about this a bit more coherently.

Comments

[nemkess.livejournal.com]

This seems like a good spot to ask you if you've had a chance to pick up the second Honor Harrington book yet.

^_^

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

YES I DID AND I LIKED IT BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE!

I've actually picked up the first six or seven books; I've only read the first two and begun the third. With all my 'free' time, I've been reading random books like bad. XD Catching up for four years of essential non-reading, I suppose.

And yeah, I did think of the Honor Harrington book and Grayson (or rather, their motherfucking TWIN) and that scene where all the females except two were basically raped and beaten to death.

[nemkess.livejournal.com]

I figured out of all of them, the second one would be your favorite. ^_^ Or, at the very least, you'd have the most to say about it.

Masada sort of pops in and out later, and as Steadholder, Honor has to deal with the entire patriarch, women-can't-do-shit-except-bad-things-mindset a lot through several of the books when she's on Grayson.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

I know. I hate what's happened to her; she had so much potential and such a life and then, yeah.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

And by 'her' I meant Masako, but yeah, in general. :p

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

I think prior to Princess Aiko's birth and after, she's been suffering depression because she's under so much damn pressure to produce a male heir. I'm almost hoping she won't so she can spite the Imperial Household Agency (a group I loathe) but I know that with Kiko's new son, there's going to be increased pressure for her to have another child.

And to be honest, WTF? Most of the public want Aiko as Empress. I mean, seriously. Everyone I talk to thinks she'd be fine as an Empress and are less than impressed by the talks and rants of 'preserving tradition'. And seriously, WHAT TRADITION? That law was made in 1947! Even if there weren't that many empresses, there sure wasn't a law about it!

[lilysnape.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's sad really. I was hoping they would have a girl actually so then they would have no choice but resolve it. I'm glad her husband stood up for her though, I don't like the other Prince.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

I'm not really fond of the second prince either; most people are aware of his affairs but just choose not to talk about it. What they do in their marriage is their own thing, but when he criticized Masako for being so selfish I was so mad I wanted to spit. Who cares if she can't have more children? Who cares if she doesn't want more children. Naruhito has professed support for her regardless and if her husband doesn't care, why do you? (you, referring to Akishino)

[orpheneritus.livejournal.com]

Change is slow to come to any country. Just yeaterday I was advised over the phone that I ought to marry as a womans best work was in the home. I won't regale you with me response, but a sum up would be to each their own and butt out of my business thanks very much.

More countries have inequalities than not and Japan is far behind for a country with its economic strength. But I thought I might mention that you shouldn't dispair as they are in for a change wether they like it or not. The over crowding of Japan mean that their birth rate has been dropping (more steeply than other countries) since the end of the baby boom after WWII. In less than 20 years almost 50% of Japan's workforce will retire, there is no longer the male population to fill the positions held by males in previous generations, if Japan expects to maintain it's economic stability it will fill the positions with female workers to keep the workforce strong. This will be the start of a change in some attitudes.

I wouldn't be discouraged by what has happened, the backing for a female succession was there and supported by many voices. It wasn't successful, but the idea has been breached and aired and it won't be forgotten. I don't think the issue is dead, I actually think this is the beginning of the issue. Many of Japan's sexual inequality issues are tied up in long histories of rigid traditions and family honour, the idea that if a man isn't the bread winner he's 'lost face' will take a long time to change.

Even many of the most progressive countries have still failed to elect female leaders into high positions. I can only think of Margaret Thatcher and the current New Zealand Prime Minister as examples...

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

The thing about Japan is that they pride themselve on their so-called equality. They're proud to say, "we do not have any racism." Um, right. No racism. Right. They point out all the laws they have that 'protect' Japanese women, failing to realize that a law barring a woman from assuming the crown is kind of a BIG signal that women are not exactly equal to their male counterparts.

Think the US is bad about allowing female executives? Check out Japan. The glass ceiling in Japan is so thick, it's virtually bulletproof.

One terrible thing is the opposite side of the coin with the low birthrate. Sure, in a few decades, there will be a lot more women in the workforce (maybe) because they just don't have enough people but right now, the media calls it Japan's crisis and the reasons given are that WOMEN DON'T WANT TO MARRY. And that's it. They don't dissect why many women don't/won't marry anymore. They don't dissect the institutionalized sexism inherent in Japan's still-rigid social heirarchy that lead more and more women to singledom rather than marriage. They also don't discuss how single women are still ridiculed for being single and how they're being selfish for not contributing to the population. Right now, there is much subtle (and not-so subtle) encouragement for women to work, marry, and then retire so they can have kids. Many women don't make it up the corporate ladder because companies expect them to marry and expect them to have kids and naturally, they'll retire because no, a woman couldn't possibly have children AND a career.

The biggest crisis in the Imperial Family is (was) the lack of a male heir and they had Masako, a brilliant diplomat who'd studied at Harvard and Tokyo University. She could have really brought the Japan Imperial Family into the world spotlight as both forward-thinking and traditional. But they didn't. She's cloistered away, practically broken down by stress and worry and even Naruhito has criticised the Imperial Household Agency for their less-than-kind tactics to get her pregnant.

... =( rant-mode was still on, I see. Sorry about that!

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

What gets me is reading about how Princess Kiko (the new baby boy's mother) has been lauded as being a good wife, while Princess Masako is regarded as selfish. Kiko never had any kind of career, while Masako was highly educated and had a life before marrying Prince Naruhito. (And kudos to the prince for defending his wife, even if it broke from tradition).

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

What gets me is reading about how Princess Kiko (the new baby boy's mother) has been lauded as being a good wife, while Princess Masako is regarded as selfish.

Exactly. This steams me almost more than anything, because hello, Masako gave up a brilliant career as a diplomat (on the North American bench no less!) to marry Naruhito and lots of people thought it would be a breath of fresh air to the palace. And look what happened to her.

I'm happy for Kiko, because I'm sure she was also under a huge amount of pressure to produce a male child, but the point was that she shouldn't have been under that pressure in the first place. If that damn 1947 law was repealed, her having a male child wouldn't matter. At all.

[thistlerose.livejournal.com]

Japan needs to get over itself. When I lived there, my best students were girls, and one of the reasons they were studying so hard was so they could get out of Japan and find decent jobs.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

*nods* My best female students are all studying so they can go abroad during high school or college. It's sad that Japan isn't realizing that they're losing their best females to the overseas competition because it can really suck for them in Japan. =( If you're a brainy woman, somehow, you're worth less than if you have a great pair of legs.

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

Most people think Aiko would make a fine Empress; it's mostly the conservative side that wants the male heir. B(

Royalty is fine by me, mostly because I don't care very much, but it's this requirement of having a male heir that makes me grit my teeth.

[meghsta.livejournal.com]

You know, Akito's male/female views of herself seem reflected in part in the current events. Just a thought, I don't know if it's warranted or not. XD;;

+sigh+

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

Ironic, isn't it? That's exactly it; Akito's troubles and the insanity of the Sohma Household to keep her gender a secret in order so that they would have a male household head rather than a female one makes it almost absurd.

... that would make a great little paper.

[blunder-buss.livejournal.com]

TELL ME ABOUT IT. I was absolutely livid. I was somewhat glad that she had a boy, because otherwise she'd be criticised twice as hard for not giving her husband a boy, that selfish cow.

That poor woman. I don't know much about her, but I feel so sorry for her.

But y'know, it happens to heaps of women in royal families. Princess Mary, the Princess of Denmark, has been bashed to high heaven for being tardy to royal functions, and speeding whilst pregnant because she OMG MIGHT HURT THE PRECIOUS FUTURE HEIR! Yeah, who cares about her, she's just a heir-making machine, right? *kiiill*

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

That's certainly true; I was probably more angry over the fact that if it had been a girl, it would have 'harmed' the succession debates, meaning that there was no chance for an empress. Though I have to wonder what they're going to do if that boy turns out to be a jackass that embarasses the royal family at every turn?

[chibi-plum.livejournal.com]

I was lucky enough to be in Japan when all of this happened... but I have to say I completely agree. For a country that is drawing more and more on Western culture, it surprises me that there is still such a sexist view, even when they are trying to hold onto some elements of "ancient" culture. I was appalled at some of the stories I heard from our tour guide about how tormented she was to reach the point of insanity. It's such a sad story. =/ Anyhow, eventually women will rebel, no? Isn't that usually the trend?

[demeter918.livejournal.com]

It would depend, I'd think. Japanese people are raised to obey and it would take a great deal of work to change a culture created during the Meiji era and solidified by the post-war loss of WWII. The 1947 Imperial Law of Succession was made, in part, in response to the lack of control of the government and Imperial Family had with MacArthur controlling Japan and with the US occupied there. Certainly, there had been little reason before, but... ai. Sometimes I feel like the whole world is taking a few steps down the notch of civilization.