Criteria for “Gender Equality”

Close up Japan | 「ジェンダー平等」の基準

Criteria for “Gender Equality”

In the 2022 Gender Gap Index survey, Japan ranked 116th out of 146 countries. This result shows the world that Japan is a country where the status of women is socially low. However, the opinion would be different if one were to ask whether, in relative terms, Japanese women are oppressed. Many survey shows that many Japanese women are “glad to be born female” and “want to have a girl as a child.” Although Japan’s gender gap index is considered particularly low in two areas, economy and politics, it ranks first in education and is also high in health. In Japan, female authors were active in the Heian period (8th to 12th century). They include Japanese authors Murasaki Shikibu of “The Tale of Genji,” said to be the world's oldest fulllength novel, and Sei Shonagon of “The Pillow Book,” one of Japan's three greatest literary treatises. In recent years , there has been a worldwide movement toward "gender neutrality," such as not including gender on resumes. In Japan, there is a case that should be considered a pioneer. KI no Tsurayuki, a male poet of the Heian period, wrote “The Tosa Diary” as if he were a woman. A recent study has made it clear that both men and women share the same functions in the brain. Some people may argue that it is important to consider values and other factors, such as gender roles, when discussing gender equal ity, but all humans beings are naturally equal. ( From March issue, 2023 / 2023年3月号より)

2022ねん
nisenn nijuu ni nenndo no
two thousand twenty-two [year]
「ジェンダー・ギャップすう」の
“jennda-, gyappu’shisuu” no
Gender Gap Index
調ちょう
chousa
the survey
で、
de,
in
ほん
nihonn ha
Japan
146こくちゅう
hyaku yonnjuu rokkakoku’chuu
out of one hundred forty-six countries
116に。
hyaku juu roku i ni.
ranked one hundred sixteenth
ほん
nihonn ha
Japan
じょせい
josei
women
no
of
chii ga
the status
しゃかいてき
soutai’teki ni
socially
ひく
hikui
where is low
くに
kuni
a country
であることを
de aru koto wo
that [it] is
かい
sekai ni
the world
らしめるけっとなりました。
shirashimeru kekka to nari mashita.
this result shows
しかし、
shikashI,
however
ほん
nihonn no
Japanese
じょせいが、
josei ga,
women
そうたいてき
soutai’teki ni mite
in relative terms
しいたげられているかというと、
shiitagerarete iru ka to iu to,
if one were to ask whether are oppressed
けん
ikenn ha
the opinion
またちがってくるでしょう。
mata chigatte kuru deshou.
would be different
じょせい
“josei ni
female
まれて
umarete
to be born
よかった」
yokatta”
are glad
ども
“kodomo
(and) a child
ha
as
おんな
onnnanoko ga
a girl
しい」とかんがえる
hoshii” to kanngaeru
want to have
ほんじんじょせい
nihonnjinn’josei ha
Japanese women
おお
ooi
many
という
to iu
that
調ちょうけっ
chousa’kekka ga
a survey
たくさん
takusann
many
あります。
ari masu.
shows
けいざい
keizai
economy
to
and
せい
seiji no
politics
2ぶん
ni bunnya
two areas
de
in
とく
toku ni
particularly
ひく
hikui
low
とされる
to sareru
is considered
ほん
nihonn no
Japan’s
ジェンダー・ギャップすう
jennda-, gyappu’shisuu
gender gap index
ですが、
desu ga,
although
きょういく
kyouiku
education
では
deha
in
1
ichi i,
it ranks first
けんこう
kennkou
(and) health
でも
demo
also in
じょう
joui ni
high
あります。
ari masu.
is
ほん
niihonn
Japan
では
deha
in
へいあんだい
heiann’jidai
the Heian period
(8
(hachi
eighth
kara
to
12せい
juuni seiki)
twelfth century
ni
in
じょせいさっ
josei’sakka
female authors
かつやくしていました。
katsuyaku shite imashita.
were active
かいさい
sekai’saiko n
the world's oldest
ちょうへんしょうせつ
chouhenn’shousetsu
full-length novel
われる
to iwareru
said to be
げんものがたり
“gennji monogatari”
The Tale of Genji
no
of
さくしゃ
sakusha,
(Japanese) author(s)
むらさきしき
murasaki shikibu,
Murasaki Shikibu
ほんさんだいずいひつ
nihonn’sanndai’zuihitsu
(and) Japan's three greatest literary treatises
no
of
ひと
hitotsu
one
まくらのそう
“makura no soushi”
The Pillow Book
さくしゃである
no sakusha de aru
[author] of
せいしょうごん
sei shounagonn
Sei Shonagon
などです。
nado desu.
they include
きんねん
kinnnenn,
in recent years
れきしょ
rireki’sho
resumes
ni
on
せいべつ
seibetsu wo
gender
さいしない
kisai shi nai
not including
など
nado
such as
「ジェンダー・ニュートラル」
“jennda-, nyu-toraru”
gender neutrality
no
toward
うごきが
ugoki ga
a movement
かいてき
sekai’teki ni
worldwide
られます。
mirare masu.
there has been
ほん
nihonn
Japan
には、
niha,
in
そのさき
sono sakigake
a pione
うべき
to iu beki
that should be consid
れい
jirei ga
a case
あります。
ari masu.
there is
へいあんだい
heiann’jidai
the Heian period
no
of
だんせいじん
dannsei’kajinn,
a male poet
きのつらゆきは、
ki no tsurayuki ha,
Ki no Tsurayuki
じょせい
josei ni
a woman
なったつもりで
natta tsumori de
as if he were
にっ」を
“tosa nikki” wo
The Tosa Diary
しっぴつしています。
shippitsu shite i masu.
wrote
さいきんけんきゅうで、
saikinn no kennkyuu de,
a recent study
だんじょ
dannjo no
men and women
のう
nou
the brain
には
niha
in
とも
tomo ni
both
りょうせいのう
ryousei no kinou wo
the same functions
わせていることが
mochiawasete iru koto ga
share
わかってきました。
wakatte kimashita.
clear that
ジェンダーびょうどう
jennda-’byoudou ha
(when discussing) gender equalty
だんじょやくわりぶんたん
dannjo no yakuwari’bunntann ya
gender roles
かん
kachikann
values
なども
nado mo
such as
こうりょして
kouryo shite
and other factors
ひょうすべき
hyouka subeki
it is important to consider
との
tono
that
けんもあります
ikenn mo ari masu
some people may argue
が、
ga,
but
びょうどう
byoudou ha
[gender equality]
にんげんとうぜんのありかたです。
ninngenn no touzenn no arikata desu.
all humans beings are naturally equal

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