One of the things that I like about the Ateneo Debate Society (ADS) is when we share the tidbits of wisdom that we’ve discovered. I remember Glenn telling me about this lecture by Father David where he talks about how men and women sit. Men tend to stretch their arms to the side with their legs open, or they sit na naka de quatro. If a woman did this, even if she were wearing jeans, it would be deemed improper. She is asked to sit with her legs together or to cross her legs. This shows how society allows men to occupy more space, while women are expected to reduce their bodies, mimicking a fetal position.
I’ve always disliked sitting with my legs together. There was something unnatural about it. I just wanted to relax and break the Wag-ka-bumukaka rule, but I never thought about questioning the said rule.
Some might think, What’s the big deal? or Pati ba un prinoblema? So what? So what if women are made to sit differently? I throw that question back to you. What’s the big deal with women sitting with their legs open? If a woman is wearing a skirt, then I’d understand that she wouldn’t want to flash her underwear in public, but why does the same rule stand when she is wearing pants? Why isn’t she allowed to sit back and relax the way that men do? I mean, who made this Wag-ka-bumukaka-only-for-women rule? Why are we not allowed to sit the way we want to sit without being chastised as unladylike?
The whole history of feminist struggle was all about challenging prohibitions imposed on women that were once viewed as normal, harmless, or even good for women. Education was once thought of as unladylike because women were expected to stay at home and take care of the kids. Women in combat was once unacceptable because being a soldier was manly not womanly.
What other social norms are left unquestioned and survives under the guise of proper behavior? If gender bias can permeate even the most benign realities such as sitting, then it is possible there are more gender-based rules out there that slip under our radar, undetected, unquestioned, and simply accepted as something that is “right” or “proper.” How many aspects of everyday life do we accept without thinking whether it’s fair or where this rule came from in the first place? What else are we accepting? What else are we tolerating? What else are we adhering to without question, without even an inch of doubt?
Check out the other posts under the Analyze This Category:
- Why Americans Shouldn’t Get Angry about the Flavors of Negros
- Why Women Shouldn’t Sit Properly
- Is she white?
- High School Play: Heroic Vandal (Scene 1-2)
- High School Play: Heroic Vandal (Scene 3)
- High School Play: Heroic Vandal (Scene 4)
- 5 Skills a Criminal Can Use to Start a New Life
- Lady Gaga and the Philippines: Art and the Influential Bruhaha
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Age of the Diary by Jasmine T. Cruz. If you like this post, please subscribe to this blog. Follow Ja on Twitter: ageofthediary. Email Ja at: ageofthediary@gmail.com.
Although I’ve been into ‘gender bias’ for a long time, this made me realize how men are allowed to have more space when it comes to sitting (apart from other things of course)! Another related topic I’d be interested in looking into nowadays would be the concept of society’s acceptance of housewives vs. househusbands.
Yeah housewives vs househusbands is indeed an interesting thing to talk about. Write about it in your blog!
This is probably more of a debate for women but in my opinion, women contribute to society as much as men and women wearing pants should be allowed to sit as they feel most comfortable without being scrutinized.
In Philippines, women have been and are currently as important as men in the success and development of the country. I don’t think this can realistically be disputed. No double standards but equality should prevail.
I do agree that there should be equality among men and women. I am glad that you think that men and women both contribute equally to the success of the country. Sadly, some people still do not think the same way. We must still continue to educate those people, and create more awareness about women’s issues.