Swimmers on the rag will be happy to know that thanks to the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Fair Trade Commission, you’ll now get discounts on your pool membership fees if you’re banned from the pool during your menstrual period.
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26 Comments
Do women comply with the ban voluntarily or does some dragonlady ajumma inspect womens’ underwear in the changing room?
That’s really… weird.
I’m no expert on the matter (being a man and all), but haven’t American feminists long argued that a woman’s periods should have zero impact on what they can or cannot do? Wouldn’t such a woman cringe at the sight of another woman demanding special compensation becuase she “couldn’t swim” during her period?
Korean feminists seem to be taking a different tact towards equality, arguing that equality means women being compensated by society for the “special circumstances” that women have to deal with.
Strange…
Just read the article again more closely. It seems to indicate that some swimming pools are banning women from swimming dureing their periods, which is obviously wrong. Rather than argue for some discount, though, they should argue that the entire silly practice be done away with.
Next up: discounts for those with herpes contracted through blood transfusion.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I find “on the rag” to be a rather crude expression for the key female bodily function that ensures the continuation of the human species. Particularly ironic, given that the tone of the post and resplies are anything but misogynistic.
Korean law also allows women workers to take one day off a month as menstrual leave. At least that was the law while I was there. We Western women rolled our eyes at menstrual leave because such a law reinforces the notion of the weaker sex. Menstrual cramps are common during the first few years - I missed an occasional schoolday as a teenager - but for most adult women, the discomfort is minimal. Mine have been pain-free since I was in college. As for women who do get cramps and headaches, well, take a sick day if you feel that bad.
Sonagi, that’s exactly what I had in mind when I posted earlier.
Compensating Korean women for being women only reinforces the notion that women are weaker and/or inferior.
That’s just it- Korean women never, ever want to thought of or treated “equally”. They thoroughly exploit and enjoy many aspects of being the “weaker sex” even though they are not.
In the princess mindset, they love being treated with dainty kid gloves and getting the special allowances.
They are horrified at the thought of real equality with men. They know that means one thing in particular- military service.
In Isreal, men & women have compulsory service. Ask any Korean girl what they think of this kind of equality and watch her shudder in fear!
They will gladly tell you that they can’t possibly do military service because they are “weak”.
#8. Actually Benicio74, if you tell a Korean girl that both men & women should do compulsory service in the Korean military, the response you will get is “Then men should babies too, and go through the hardships that women go through”
5, my thoughts exactly; and 5 and 7, it may be a matter of cultural perspective but when it comes down to it you’re totally right.
Correction: 6 and 7, it…
Actually mins0306,
when I have proposed the idea of compulsory service for both sexes, and this has been in many, many discussion classes, 9 times out of ten the females have replied with the “we are too weak” or the few who just say “we don’t want that kind of equality”.
I can count the number who have given your reply on one hand!
I see Benicio74.
The Korean females that you have had conversations with regarding military service, are certainly different than the females I have encountered.
The females I have encountered never told me that they wanted out because they were “weak”. But most(around 80 ~ 90%) did reply if and when females are conscripted that men should have babies.
Of course, different survey groups under different circumstances would probably have different outcomes.
Yes, I’ve found my data from rather young, university-age females in mixed discussion classes. Now, if the group was female-only or one-on-one, perhaps they would respond differently.
I do find that in the presence of Korean guys, lots of Korean girls tend to play up that weak princess in need of saving role. It gets ‘em every time!
Like Brian, I’m also no expert on the matter for gender based reasons, but my impression is that Korean women generally don’t use tampons, which you would need if you were to go swimming during your period. Why they don’t use them, I have no idea. But, that would explain why they might like compensation.
As for mins0306’s comment - certainly women bear a special burden having babies - but Korean women certainly seek more compensation for that burden than Western women. Consider the Sanhoo Joriwon, a type of relaxation/recovery/retreat that most Korean women go to for two weeks to a month, which runs several thousand dollars or so. Tell Koreans about American women who give birth, like the woman’s basketball coach who coached her team the day after giving birth, and you might here that “Korean women’s bodies are just different.” There is also a belief that a woman who has given birth should stay indoors several months after giving birth because “wind can pass through their bodies weaking their bones” and that they should also not wash her hair for the same amount of time. I’m all for being compassionate, especially to women who have given birth, but I think the previous posts are correct about Korean feminism. On the other hand, there may be instances when American feminists might also want to seek societal protection too.
1) How does menstruation and/or menstrual cramps prevent one from standing in an over-crowded pool?
2) Hey, how about using a tampon?
Korean women don’t use them
God bless the internet. Now I know.
I suppose it’s related to that whole “must be a virgin before marriage” requirement. Evidently, it’s important enough for some women to have surgery down there to give the appearance of virginity, even if they wouldn’t otherwise qualify.
korean girls do use tampons. i assume majority use pads, but they do use tampons. and it’s not related to whether a girl is a virgin or not. well, a “virgin” friend of mine says she uses tampons.
Tampons not the best thing in the world, but next to the best.
Wow, did this discussion go downhill or what?
Maybe I’m outdated and things have changed. But it used to be that foreign women had a hard time finding tampons in convenience stores in Korea. Still I’d bet that many women in their 30s and over don’t use them. But, maybe some Korean women out there would like to comment?
I think women should get a week off for when they become psychotic bitches due to PMS. How can you trust women in the first place? They bleed for four days and do not die?
“Korean women don’t use them”
http://www.playtextampon.co.kr/
“Still I’d bet that many women in their 30s and over don’t use them. ”
How much you want to wager?
Sharks can smell blood in the water from miles away. This was simply a safety measure. Thank god for the Korean government, always looking out for us.