THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE FILIPINO WOMAN DELIA D. AGUILAR Center for ...

25 Pages·2002·1.79 MB·English

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International Journal of Inlerculruml Relations, Vol. 13, 527-55 1989 0147-1767189 53.00 + OO.
detnirP ni the .ASU llA sthgir .devreser thgirypoC 8 1989 Pcr~amon Press clp
EHT LAICOS NOITCURTSNOC FO EHT
ONIPILIF WOMAN
DELIA D. AGUILAR
Center rof lanoitacudE Innovation, University fo Connecticut
TCARTSBA sihT critical weiver fo the representations fo onipiliF nemow ni
social science research aims ot worht thgil on the ideological and theoretical
assumptions taht hinder an accurate depiction fo s’nemow subordinate .sutats It
begins htiw an exposition fo woh native lore gnituot s’nemow superiority, recast
htiw the appropriate rationale by colonial discourse, si etched ni popular con-
sciousness and has proven resistant ot alteration. Conventional wisdom, rof ex-
ample, sweiv the s’efiwesuoh pursekeeper function along htiw household man-
agement as evidence fo matriarchy. In examining the more significant empirical
studies, ni particulac those nihtiw the women-in-development category, the essay
notes a thgils departure from siht perspective. Confronted htiw the reality fo
extensive poverty and s’nemow location ta the bottom fo the occupational struc-
ture, social scientists have had ot acknowledge s’nemow inequality ni the public
sphere. gninruT their focus on the private sphere, researchers document the exist-
ence fo a rigid gender division fo labor ta the heart fo the family. sihT finding
results ni the displacement fo the notion fo a matriarchy. But unaided by feminist
,skrowemarf investigators llaf trohs fo interrogating the rewop relations
embedded ni gender assignments ni the household. They liaf ot unmask the
sanctified role fo motherhood and the attendant valorization fo nemow as moral-
ly superior. Instead, studies concentrating on decision-making have simply substi-
tuted egalitarianism rof s’nemow dominance and upheld the idea fo gender com-
plementarity based on the philosophy fo “‘separate spheres.”
nI this ,yasse I lliw yllacitirc weiver eht snoitatneserper fo onipiliF
nemow ni eht tnenitrep erutaretil and ezylana eht lacirotsih snoitidnoc fo
rieht .ecnegreme yB gnizilautxetnoc onipiliF nemow and gninifed rieht
noitcurtsnoc as a detaidem laicos ,ssecorp I epoh ot etadicule eht niarret
no hcihw secitcarp fo hceeps and noitca .etarepo ,yllaniF I lliw enimaxe
eht noitnevretni fo yraropmetnoc laicos ecneics ni eht shaping fo -mow
s’ne ytivitcejbus and tpmetta ot revocnu eht laciteroeht assumptions -ni
gnimrof tnerruc paradigms.
EHT MYTHICAL SUSREV EHT LACIRIPME
fI nemow evah neeb eht rojam seitlausac fo noitazinredom ni eht
,senippilihP ylralucitrap ni eht sraey gniwollof laitram law, yrev elttil fo
stseuqeR rof stnirper dluohs eb tnes :ot .rD aileD .D ,raliugA retneC rof lanoitacudE
,noitavonnI ytisrevinU fo ,tucitcennoC l-U 12, Hall ,mroD mR 208, 362 dleifriaF ,daoR
,srrotS CT 06268.
527
528
D. D. Aguilar
that nac eb detceted morf eht segami fo onipiliF nemow projected yb
laicos ecneics ,hcraeser eht ,aidem ro ralupop .ygolohtym tA ,tseb a
”decnalab“ assessment gnivired morf yllaciripme desab seiduts sdleiy
noitazilautpecnoc tahwemos tuo fo retlik htiw eht lautca snoitidnoc fo
s’nemow .sevil ehT feileb ni s’nemow hgih status is ylpeed debircsni ni
ralupop ssensuoicsnoc and draws troppus morf ynam ,secruos gnoma
meht eht evitan dnegel fo .noitaerc ekilnU eht lacilbib ,tnuocca eht elat
asserts eht suoenatlumis ecnegreme fo namow and man morf a oobmab
rednilyc split nepo yb eht gnikcep fo a egral .drib etipseD eht erid straits
fo eht ytirojam fo ,nemow maertsniam laicos ecneics has neeb elbanu ot
edolpxe hcus .shtym tI has ylerem detutitsbus eht suougibma“ ”anipiliF
rof eht gnireenimod“ ”anipiliF fo lanoitnevnoc .modsiw
sihT ytiugibma is deredner htiw a lacirygenap enot yb tsilanruoj -reuG
)579l(likpaN-orer ni eht gniwollof :noitceles
erehT evah neeb three nem ni her :efil her citaisA ,rotsecna the hsinapS ,rairf the
,naciremA dna ekil s’vokehC Darling, she echoes lla the nem she has nwonk ni her
.nosrep Perhaps ni a few ,snoitareneg the anipiliF lliw ezillatsyrc otni a ,raelc
,erup yllanretni ,mlac lacirtemmys ytilanosrep htiw etinifed facets ni the -rciderp
elba .senalp Perhaps ni ,emit the tnereffid sniarts hcihw won war nihtiw her ni
lergnom snoitcidartnoc lliw evah neeb detalimissa otni a derbhguoroht -egomoh
.ytien tuB nehw that ,sneppah the onipiliF namow lliw evah tsol the etinifni
,ssendetcepxenu the tpurba ,ssenirartnoc the larulp ytilibatciderp hcihw won
sekam her htob so ylnamow dna so .onipiliF (pp. 19,25)
sihT noitaralced of worth, elihw elbadnatsrednu as na tpmetta ot assert
na ytilaudividni or sseneuqinu deined ot ,slainoloc stsisbus no a -atem
lacisyhp .enalp tI sdiova gnicalp the anipiliF ni a etercnoc txetnoc where
emos noitamitse of her lautca sutats nac eb .edam
nI ,tsartnoc tsigoloicos ollitsaC (1976) syolpme a erom htrae-ot-nwod
lasiarppa of s’nemow noitisop hguorht a yevrus of gnitsixe .erutaretil She
snigeb htiw a yrammus of the deirav snoitatneserper of nemow morf
hcihw appears
a namow of yrotcidartnoc assets dna a-stecaf namow who stneserper at tsael a
elbuod .noisiv She si dias ot eb detlaxe yb yrotsih dna noitidart ot a latsedep dna
tey she si wol ni the gnikcep order. erehT are stnemugra as ot whether she llits
snoihsaf flesreh as . . . ,yoc“ ,gniriter dna .tneivresbus . . . ” nO the other ,dnah
she si desoppus ot evah power dna ecneulfni yllaiciffonu dna ni .etavirp (p. 12)
nehT gninrut ot the laciripme level where she setacramed net aspects of
s’nemow ,sevil ollitsaC sevirra at a evisneherpmoc“ data ”eliforp that
sevorp e yllau :gnixelprep
ehT onipiliF namow smees ot evah her heart set at gnieb ”.eninimef“ tahW are the
stnenopmoc of feminismo? ehT seiduts dna segami hcihw evah neeb deweiver
dael su ot a few sesseug as ot what emos of these stnenopmoc thgim .eb ehT
onipiliF namow stnaw ot get married; ot have children ssensseldlihc( or neve a
dlihc-eno egairram si ton ;)derreferp ot eb subordinate tey equal; ot eb seductive
The Social Construction fo the onipiliF namoW S29
tuohtiw being seduced; ot eb beautiful; ot eb educated, ot eb a companion ot reh
husband; and a mother ot reh .nerdlihc .p( 2.50, gnirocsrednu )sreh
yhW this gniredliweb retlew fo ,segami this luficnaf ytilauq gnisuffus
eseht snoitpircsed nehw eht laicos ytilaer sevael slight moor rof
?noitaterpretnisim
tI dluoc eb that eht hgih drager rof ,nemow ni tsom secnatsni on erom
than an etarobale ,tiecnoc is an lacigoloedi egitsev fo rieht ylevitaler
degelivirp noitisop roirp ot Spanish lainoloc .noitartenep gnomA -mow
s’ne sthgir and segelivirp ylevitceffe deyortsed yb Spanish liviC waL erew
eht thgir ot ,ecrovid ot evah nerdlihc sseldrager fo latiram status, ytreporp
,sthgir modeerf ot tcartnoc business stnemegnarra yltnednepedni fo eht
husband, noitneter fo nediam ,eman and a lartnec elor ni suoigiler -carp
’.secit teY os taerg is eht noitceliderp rof gniees ylno roirepus syaw ni eht
roreuqnoc secar ,dna( ,ylesrevnoc ytiroirefni ni eht )dereuqnoc that eht
noitalitum fo lacirotsih ecnedive sdeecorp htiw unusual .ytilicaf Witness
eht gniwollof passage nettirw ni 1905 yb James ,yoReL eno fo eht tsrif
srevresbo fo eht enippilihP enecs retfa eht tseuqnoc yb eht detinU :setatS
tI is yltcefrep efas ot yas that ni on rehto trap fo eht tneirO evah nemow ylevitaler
os hcum modeerf ro od yeht yalp os egral a trap ni eht lortnoc fo eht ylimaf ro ni
laicos ro neve lairtsudni .sriaffa tI is a nommoc kramer that onipiliF ,nemow htob
eht degelivirp and fo eht rewol ,sessalc are possessed of erom character dna ,netfo
too, of erom ,esirpretne naht the .nem erehT smees yreve nosaer for gnibircsa siht
evitaler tnemevorpmi ni the noitisop of nemow ni the senippilihP as derapmoc
htiw gnidnuorrus seirtnuoc ni the tneirO ot the ecneulfni of the naitsirhC noigiler
dna the noitisop hcihw yeht evah demussa rednu the gnihcaet of the hcruhC dna
the pihsrotcerid of the .srairf (pp. )82-72
ylsuoiruC ,hguone yna ecnerefer ot onipiliF s’nemow segelivirp gnidecerp
eht noisurtni fo ytinaitsirhC has neeb .dedile On eht ,yrartnoc yb stating
that rieht noitisop has ,devorpmi yna noicipsus that nemow yam evah
neeb retteb ffo ni eht past has neeb yltfed deraelc .yawa sihT weiv -eL(
s’yoR krow ot etad sniater standing as an evitatirohtua )ecruos dezalb eht
liart rof ynam an lairepmi aigolopa ni eht sedaced ot .emoc tI snoitcnuf
ylevitceffe ni gnitaclucni ni sonipiliF eht tcnitsni rof noitargined-fles -ni
elbasnepsid ot eht status 2eouq
ehT‘ elgnis tsom tnatropmi ecruos fo noitamrofni tuoba sfeileb dna secitcarp gnidnuorrus
nemow gnirud siht doirep si etnafnI (1975). rehtO lufesu sgnidaer era anozlA (1934) dna
nozauG-azodneM (1951).
elbarenluV ot eht egrahc fo ssalc ,msinoitcuder a erom tnecer yasse ,naznanaM( i983)
sreffo laitnatsbus troppus rof eht latnemirted stceffe fo .noitazinoloc sihT troppus semoc ni
eht mrof fo lacirotsih stnemucod nettirw ni .hsinapS
roF2 na noitadicule fo woh ”latnediccO“ slautcelletni etaerc dna niatniam snoitatneserper ro
segami fo eht yrehpirep lativ ot nretseW ,ynomegeh ees drawdE .W diaS (1978). roF na
noitanimulli fo eht syaw ni hcihw rewop ni lareneg si detsefinam hguorht erutluc dna
,ygoloedi ees wonibaR (1984).
530 D. D. raliugA
EHT YGOLOHCYSP FO EHT LAINOLOC MIND
deransnE nihtiw eht s’retsam dleif fo ,noisiv eht evitan yllausu( ,elam
eht derreferp tcejbo fo gnizinoloc )stroffe sesopxe his tpecnoc-fles ot
elbativeni .egamad gnivaH detpecca eht s’remrof noitidner fo ,yrotsih eh
spoleved an awkward ytisneporp rof .noitcidartnoc-fles nihtiW eseht
seiradnuob ti is ton unusual ot dnif doog slainoloc gnimriffa eht tcaf that
ni hsinapS-erp semit nemow had livic and lacitilop sthgir lellarap ot .nem
nI eht emas htaerb yeht edecnoc ytiroirp ot eht s’rezinoloc tsivisulcxe
.evitcepsrep fI hcus snoitrotsid deifilpmexe yb yoReL nac rucco siv-a-siv
,niapS a yllasrevinu detah lainoloc ,rewop enigami woh eht tsartnoc -eb
neewt Spanish and .S.U lainoloc ycilop hcihw detacovda s’nemow -fus
,egarf dehsilbatse a metsys fo cilbup ,noitacude and detnarg lauqe lamrof
ssecca ot nemow and ,nem dluoc ylisae nrut eht ylluferac derutrun htym
fo its ecneloveneb otni !tcaf
nI a ylediw debircserp laicos ecneics redaer nettirw yb sonipiliF -acaM(
,giar ,utiripsE & ,onidranreB ;4591 eht main ,retirw nifareS ,giaracaM
etorw eht tsrif enippilihP ygoloicos koobtxet ni ,)8391 eht srohtua -ta
etubirt lahcrairtam“ ”seicnednet ni eht ylimaf ot eht rewop dleh yb -mow
ne erofeb eht Spanish .tseuqnoc ylnO a egap ,reilrae yeht had deralced eht
:gniwollof ehT“ onipiliF ylimaf has neeb decneulfni yb htob latneirO and
latnediccO traits. ehT gnitanimoderp ecneulfni fo eht man revo eht -mow
an is yllacitsiretcarahc ,latneirO elihw eht gniworg ecnatpecca yadot fo
eht ytilauqe fo man and namow is ”latnediccO .p( .)251 ,yletanutrofnU
snoitressa as ylgniralg suoicallaf as eseht etutitsnoc a epytotorp fo eht
diozihcs lainoloc dnim esohw nretlabus gninoitidnoc is yllanif deppac
htiw eht noisulli fo modeerf rednu .S.U .egaletut
tahT eht erom degelivirp sonipiliF dluow eb eht tsom elbitpecsus ot this
adnagaporp dluohs ton eb surprising. ,nehW rednu .S.U ,elur s’nemow
detimil reerac selor fo ,rehcaet nun, ro retsnips eht( last owt eht tsom
dezirp esuaceb fo eht muimerp msicilohtaC derrefnoc no )ytinigriv erew
dednapxe ot edulcni wen lanoisseforp ,seitinutroppo hsival ,sesiarp -toor
de ni ,ecnarongi erew depaeh nopu eht .sroreuqnoc nI The Development
and Progress of the onipiliF namoW nettirw ni 195 1, Maria zaP -odneM
,nozauG-az eht tsrif anipiliF lacidem ,rotcod detlaxe this nrut fo :stneve
erehT“ has reven neeb ni eht yrotsih fo eht dlrow hcus a elbon and
suominangam margorp fo tnemnrevog as that demialcorp yb tnediserP
yelniKcM no yraunaJ 30, 1898” .p( .)94 gnitpeccA tuohtiw noitseuq eht
s’rettal noitaralced that eht enippilihP noissimmoC dewotseb ylno eht“
tsehcir blessings fo a gnitarebil rehtar than a gnireuqnoc ”noitan .p( ,)94
nozauG-azodneM and srehto fo reh class ylno devres ot dnuofnoc an
ydaerla etaruccani noitciped fo woh s’nemow status had .devlove
gnitirW ni 1917 rehtona namow fo eht ,etile aruP aveunalliV ed ,walaK
dettimda eht ytilibissop that eht“ stnuocca fo yrotsih od ton od lluf
ecitsuj ot . . . eht ”,onipiliF yllaicepse eht“ onipiliF namow ,ohw ni eht
The Social Construction fo the onipiliF namoW 531
ylimaf and eht ,emoh has dedeeccus ni gnivreserp reh nwo ”ytilanosrep
.p( .)23 toN tuohtiw a hcuot fo ,ytidrusba aveunalliV ed walaK appraises
as yratulas eht emoctuo fo Spanish s’nemow tsicar shunning fo -retni“
esruoc htiw eht evitan ”.namow ,sihT delpuoc htiw eht cilohtaC tcide
gnieerced egairram ,elbulossidni erew serusaem that rof reh ,dethgilhgih
,devreserp and deruces s’nemow status nihtiw eht .ylimaf reH naeap ot
eht detinU setatS is :gnihsinotsa ehT“ taerg land fo msinimef has thguorb
us, htiw reh ,galf reh selpicnirp fo ycarcomed and ytilauqe hcihw secalp
namow no a level htiw ,nem ton ylno as sdrager reh ,sthgir tub osla as
sdrager reh seitud sdrawot eht ”noitan .pp( .)63-53 sihT noinipo is -met
derep ylno htiw reh raef that eht tnemhcaorcne fo nretseW msilaudividni
otni enippilihP efil htiw eht“ noitcudortni fo eht noxaS lanoitacude -ulfni
ecne lliw tluser ni suoires lirep ot eht lufituaeb noisehoc fo eht onipiliF
”.ylimaf
OWT GNITSARTNOC SWEIV
ylgnitseretnI ,hguone eht ylno eceip ni eht ylrae lainoloc doirep fo .S.U
msilainoloc that has nekat a lacitirc kool at msilairepmi and class -reffid
secne ni s’nemow noitisop nihtiw a tcejbus noitan is that yb .S.U -lanruoj
ist sengA yeldemS dehsilbup ni a evissergorp lanruoj ni aidnI ni 193 1. nI
ti ehs sllac noitnetta ylesicerp ot eht dlrow weiv that, ekil eht ,gniogerof
yldnilb detacilpud snoitatneserper fo nemow and fo sonipiliF ni lareneg
that had neeb detacirbaf ot ezilanoitar and yfitsuj lairotirret .sevitarepmi
fI .S.U noitanimod detacidni ssergorp revo Spanish ,msiladuef ehs saw its
ecnedive ni “a epyt fo -elddim and ssalc-reppu namow that seripsa evoba
all esle ot eb small seipoc fo naciremA -elddim and ssalc-reppu ”nemow
,yeldemS( 1931, p. .)654 ehS srefer ot eht lautcelletni egadnob fo this
puorg as os“ etelpmoc that ti is ”.suoicsnocnu elihW gnizingocer eht
segatnavda fo a lasrevinu noitacude rof hcus nemow ehs( sevresbo that 30
evah law ,seerged tub enon ,)ecitcarp ehs is ylneek evitisnes ot eht disas-
suort tluser fo eht esu fo hsilgnE as eht laiciffo muidem fo :noitcurtsni
“spiritlessness, an rettu kcal fo ytilanigiro ro fo yna evitaerc ro lacitirc
gnikniht ”ytiliba .p( .)854 reH suoivbo ytiniffa htiw rekrow and peasant
nemow segreme ni reh citehtapmys noitpircsed fo rieht .noitautis ehS
senilrednu eht tcapmi fo bad gnikrow snoitidnoc nopu srekrow ni -rof
denwo-ngie seirotcaf deraeg rof tropxe noitcudorp and eht ylresim yap fo
citsemod .kroweceip On eht ,mraf peasant a-nemow wef fo mohw erew
noinu erahs-srezinagro krow yllauqe htiw nem ro“( spahrep erom than
,)”yllauqe eht ssensuounerts fo dleif robal denevael yb ylevol“ peasant
sgnos fo ”robal .p( .)064
oT etaicerppa eht yticacipsrep fo sengA s’yeldemS ylerab egap-ruof
,yasse erapmoc and tsartnoc its ecnatsbus htiw derettacs stnemmoc no
nemow yb .S.U tsigoloporhtna xileF gniseeK )7391( ni a koob dehsilbup
nihtiw eht emas .edaced On lareves yek ,stniop eht owt :eerga as manag-
532 D. D. Aguilar
sre fo eht ,emoh a ciler fo an reilrae noisivid fo ,robal nemow ekat egrahc
fo eht dlohesuoh .emocni morF this ytilibisnopser sesira a tnahcnep rof
business that, gnidrocca ot ,gniseeK syolped nemow as small sredart
gnireffo noititepmoc ot tuoba 10,000 esenihC stnemhsilbatse ni Manila
and eht .secnivorp gnivresbO that ot“ rieht tol llef tsom fo eht enituor fo
cimonoce ytivitca rehto than eht tseivaeh robal .p( ,)72 eh seton that
nihtiw a ylimaf metsys dekram yb ,noitarepooc ,ytlayol and ssenlufitud ot
,sredle nemow maintain a ylhgih detcepser .noitisop ehT rewop fo this
lailimaf ygoloedi ni hcihw eht egami fo onipiliF nemow is dehcte lliw
retsiger its tcapmi nopu eht minds fo sonipiliF rof eht txen .yrutnec-flah
erehW yeldemS and gniseeK trap syaw is ni rieht noitpecrep fo eht
ecneulfni fo eht nretseW .siloportem elihW eht remrof stcidni eht -ohtaC
cil hcruhc fo eht Spanish emiger as eht feihc“ rallip fo ”noitcejbus -demS(
,yel p. ,)854 eht rettal ylerem skims eht ecafrus nehw eh :setirw ehT“
citnamor edutitta fo eht nitaL sdrawot esoht fo eht elamef xes has -tceffa
de eht status fo nemow and smotsuc fo pihstruoc and ”egairram ,gniseeK(
p. .)73 gniylppA eht emas tes-dnim ot eht .S.U ,are gniseeK sekat eht
tnemevom rof s’nemow thgir ot etov at ecaf ,eulav gnidrager ti as “a
tnacifingis erutaef fo that ”doirep .p( .)89 nI ,tsartnoc yeldemS -rapsid
sega eht noitaredeF fo s’nemoW Clubs hcihw detca as a draugnav rof eht
egarffus .tnemevom roF reh eht noitaredeF was a elap noitatimi fo its
.S.U trapretnuoc that did gnihton“ revetahw that dluow esuora eht tsael
noitisoppo ro msicitirc morf eht tsom xodohtro and elbatcepser nemow
fo rieht class ni aciremA ro ni eht ”senippilihP .p( 3.)854
oT ekam tey rehtona nosirapmoc and ot ees eht rennam ni hcihw eht
onipiliF etile ton ylerem dedleiy ot tub surpassed eht tsilairepmi esruocsid
fo lanoitnevnoc ,srevresbo llacer s’gniseeK tcaf-fo-rettam noitressa fo eht
ecnacifingis fo egarffus and tes that against avuenalliV ed s’walaK -rev
:nois onipiliF“ ,nemow ,yllanif era hcae yad taking rieht secalp ni eht
tnemnrevoG ,seciffo eht laicremmoc ,stnemhsilbatse eht ,sloohcs and ni
all eht sdleif fo ytivitca erehw an ratla is detcere ot ssergorp and ”krow .p(
.)63 enO thgim ylbaifitsuj lebal hcus secnarettu as smotpmys fo -iuqesbo
,ssensuo fo hguoroht ,noitanirtcodni ro fo plain ssendnilb ot gnihtyreve
tub eht tseretni fo class.
AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW
tuohtiW gnitcejer yna ro all fo eht ,evoba spahrep rehtona yaw fo
gnikool at eht rettam thgim eb erom ,lufpleh that dereffo yb erreiP
srehtOJ ni erom tnecer semit evah detaulaveer eht s’nemow egarffus tnemevom taht -imluc
detan ni eht thgir ot etov ni 3791 sa a yranoisrevid citcat deyolpme yb .S.U seitirohtua ni eht
senippilihP ot nekaew eht erom gninetaerht tnemevom rof ecnednepedni ,nanaraM-sotnaS(
.)4891
ehT Social noitcurtsnoC of eht onipiliF namoW 533
yerehcaM as eh sdnuopxe no eht nairessuhtlA tpecnoc fo eht lacigoloedi
etats apparatus recreM( & ,drofdaR .)7791 sioegruoB ,ygoloedi gnidrocca
ot ,mih must eb nees as a ,detcurtsnoc-llew tnerehoc ytilatot morf hcihw
ereht is on epacse ecno deretne otni esuaceb fo its reenev fo -adilosnoc
.noit sihT yltnerappa tnerehoc metsys fo sfeileb is yllautca neddir htiw
.snoitcidartnoc tuB eseht snoitcidartnoc era deretsalp revo yb all kinds fo
smsinahcem rof eht esicerp esoprup fo gnitaerc a ecnalbmes fo -netsisnoc
.yc hcuS a weiv at ecno selbane us ot terpretni and etaulave eht -emonehp
non fo eht lainoloc“ ”,ytilatnem eht snoitatsefinam fo hcihw ew evah nees
ni a sampling fo onipiliF .slautcelletni ruO aim is ot enimaxe and unmask
eht lacigoloedi apparatuses rof( ,elpmaxe enippilihP ecneirepxe as
debircsnart yb yoReL and )gniseeK hguorht hcihw eht ecnailpmoc fo
sonipiliF is .deniatniam ,eromrehtruF ti is nehw sredistuo ot eht -ucitrap
ral sengA-ygoloedi ,yeldemS ni this -esac leep ffo eht yranigami ot
laever eht lautca that ew nigeb ot rehpiced eht .htym yeldemS states
thgirtuo that reh noitpecrep fo onipiliF nemow is deroloc yb eht gnikirts
tsartnoc dedivorp yb yranoitulover nemow ni China, reh tniop fo -raped
erut no reh enippilihP .tisiv gnidnetxE eht sloot fo class ,sisylana ehs
draws tuo eht laitnetop rewop fo rekrow and peasant nemow ni rieht yrev
noisulcxe morf eht main lacigoloedi sledatic and ni rieht ytinu as -tiolpxe
de .spuorg
ehT ytilibissopmi fo yltaen gnilgnatnesid snoitazilautpecnoc fo -ipiliF
on doohnamow morf eht seigoloedi fo lainoloc noitanimod dluohs won
emoceb ylidaer .tnerappa morF this ti swollof that ot egnellahc assump-
snoit tuoba onipiliF nemow and tcurtsnocer rieht yrotsih setatissecen
gnihton less than eht suoenatlumis ecnaifed and noitcurtsed fo lairepmi
.ytirohtua Unless and litnu this sneppah and unless ew emoceb trela ot
shturt-flah and gaps dessolg revo yb ,ygoloedi larutluc stcurtsnoc lliw
eunitnoc ot etacsufbo eht ecneirepxe fo onipiliF .nemow esehT desopmi
stcurtsnoc lliw eunitnoc ot etauteprep a suoiruc krowhctap fo -serpmi
snois that dlem eht noisulli fo elamef ecnenimeerp htiw eht ytilaer fo
.noissimbus
DECONSTRUCTING POPULAR MYTHS
ylisaE eht tsom ylediw detpecca fitom is that fo namow as neeuq“ fo
eht ”.emoh suomynonyS htiw eht status detoned yb eht rewop“ dniheb
eht ”,enorht ti has its stnedecetna ni hsinapS-erp 4,semit tub eht feileb
yadot is deknil htiw eht repeekesrup ecivres demrofrep yb eht .efiw neeS
as a lacigol noisnetxe fo this noitcnuf is eht business nemuca that nemow
era detcepxe ot yllacitamotua possess. nI an yasse hcihw stpmetta ot
hsinapS“ relcinorhc rehtaF ordeP ,onirihC gnitirw tuoba eht senippilihP at eht gninnigeb fo
eht 17th ,yrutnec deton taht eht elor rof eht onipiliF efiw ni ,alinaM ,euqudniraM dna
yanaP saw ot eb neeuq“ fo eht ”emoh ,nozauG-azodneM( 1951, .pp 12, 32).
534 D. D. Aguilar
mialcer s’nemow past yb gnitcurtsnocer eht skrow fo ylrae ,srelcinorhc
eht srohtua edulcnoc that eht s’anipiliF lairuenerpertne ytiliba was neve
neht reh tsom tneilas erutaef zemoG-asuaR( & ,iugnabhT .)8791 A yduts
gnitagitsevni eht elor fo nemow sreganam ni denwo-ylimaf businesses
snigeb this :yaw ,yllaibrevorP“ eht nosrep ohw sdloh eht esrup strings
selur eht .esuoh nI eht ,senippilihP ti is eht namow ohw seod os and ohw
erofereht runs eht emoh as ni lahcrairtam ”seiteicos zeravlA( & ,zeravlA
1973, p. .)745 decaferP yb hcus a ,tnemetats eht noisulcnoc tonnac eb
rehtegotla :gnisirprus ehT“ anipiliF seod ton deen ot eb detarebil esuaceb
ni ,tcaf ehs ydaerla setanimod eht emoh and ylimaf businesses as ”llew .p(
.)065 ,revoeroM eht cilbup ytilibisiv fo a wef laudividni nemow fo -ulfni
ecne has depleh evreserp eht aedi fo ,ecnanimod gnitareggaxe its -nemid
snois ot eetnaraug eht onipiliF s’namow ytiroirepus revo rehto Asian
nemow and neve revo reh“ nretseW ”.strapretnuoc
With his efiw gnisicrexe etanoitroporpsid“ ”,rewop what is a husband
ot od ot sserttub his deregnadne manliness tub ot dnif roccus ni eht arms
fo a ,ssertsim a ,inahahS( ?)5791 hguohtlA this elicaf elanoitar
querida
detaicnune yb a namow ambassador has derehtag wef ,stnerehda eht
snoitacove fo an etanni elamef ytilarom is a nommoc esnopser ot eht
lauxes elbuod standard. gnidnatS as reh husband’s larom guardian tsel eh
rovas erom than lanoisacco ,sollidaccep eht reh-efiw ssentuoved detset
yb gniggalfnu hcruhc won-ecnadnetta yllanoitidda semoceb detniona as
eht eciov fo laicos .ecneicsnoc ehT tsilaitnesse tnemugra gnitsevni nemow
htiw a lanretam tcnitsni and its evitavired larom ytirohtua nac yldrah eb
:detaludom ehT“ onipiliF namow lliw syawla yalp reh trap rehtie at emoh
ro ni eht erutalsigel as a eurt REHTOM s’rohtua[ ]noitazilatipac esuaceb
ehs has at traeh eht ssergorp and tnemecnavda fo reh ,yrtnuoc and eht
noitcetorp fo ruo doohnamow and ”doohdlihc ,nozauG-azodneM( 193 1,
p, .)61 gnidloH eht lacigolohcysp“ yek ot eht cimonoce tnempoleved
smelborp that teseb ruo ”,yrtnuoc nemow ton ylno evah a gnirebos“
ecneulfni ni ylimaf ”efil tub era osla detrohxe ot bruc eht elam noitanilcni
rof ecnegludnirevo ni scitilop and ot tcerid nerdlihc drawot gnipoleved a
etsat rof lacol stcudorp ,seyeR( .)5691
tahT eseht saedi tsisrep ni etips fo eht ylbainednu dessertsid noitautis
fo yranidro ,nemow tsom fo its smotpmys elbisiv ot eht human ,eye must
tsetta ot emos deen ot sustain eseht evitcelloc .stnemitnes revetahW eht
,esac neve laicos stsitneics gnikees ”ytivitcejbo“ mees os regae ot -oborroc
etar s’nemow demuserp hgih status that neve gniralg seitirapsid ni eht law
llaf trohs fo gnignirb ot thgil s’nemow lautca .noitidnoc A dezingocer
ytirohtua no nemow and lagel ,sthgir adirelF Ruth .P oremoR ,9791(
,)1891 states that eht dleif fo citsemod snoitaler is eht eno aera ni law
erehw rojam snoisiver era deriuqer ot tesffo redneg 5.ytilauqeni enO
As desiver ylimaf edoc taht koot tceffe ni yluJ 8891 sah devomer emos fo eht erom tnatalb
redneg sesaib ni ylimaf .wal
The Social Construction fo the onipiliF namoW 535
thgim assume that noitamrofni ekil this dluow ylkciuq banish -pecrepsim
snoit tuoba eht rewop and ecneulfni fo .nemow teY .S.U tsigoloporhtna
treboR xoF ,)3691( gniyduts onipiliF nemow and ,nem eht ylimaf and
kinship ,snoitaler nac discuss eht law and its snoitacilppa ot eht ylimaf
rof( ,ecnatsni that lagel noitarapes is detnarg ,yllaitnereffid gniriuqer
yretluda fo eht efiw and eganibucnoc fo eht husband) and llits liaf ot
etagorretni s’nemow dellac-os hgih laicos .noitisop
ehT sgnidnif fo xoF and that fo onipiliF laicos srotagitsevni ni eht
seitxis and ylrae seitneves era detaluspacne ni eht paragraph .woleb Its
main stnemugra era ton raf devomer morf nommoc erol as dehcteks
:reilrae
ehT suounitnoc troppus nevig ot a efiw yb her ylimaf dna nik si eno of the snosaer
for the gnorts noitisop of nemow ni onipiliF .yteicos She si the lartnec erugif ni
the ,ylimaf ,efiw ,rehtom rerusaert dna resrubsid of .sdnuf nI ecnadrocca htiw the
lanoitidart onipiliF ,motsuc won a part of the liviC Code, the ytreporp hcihw a
namow sgnirb ot egairram si her nwo dna she yam do as she sekil revo sti
.noitisopsid gniyojnE na lauqe sutats htiw her ,dnabsuh she sselehtreven sevig
mih the noisulli that he si drol dna retsam of sih .dlohesuoh hguohtlA she accepts
a mrof of elbuod ,ytilarom the selam gnieb dewolla modeerf deined the elamef
srebmem of her ,yiimaf her lamrofni ecneulfni ni yteicos netfo affects the -oce
cimon dna lacitilop sriaffa of the .yrtnuoc ,nosleN( 1968, p. 100)
ereH ew eton that stnemecnuonorp fo s’nemow ytiroirepus evah neeb
derap nwod ot eht erom tnedurp noitangised fo eht efiw as eht lartnec“
erugif ni eht ”.ylimaf snoitpecnoC fo ”ecnanimod“ evah neeb decalper
htiw eht ylevitarapmoc yranoissecnoc snoitaicossa fo gnorts“ ”,noitisop
lauqe“ status,” and lamrofni“ ”.ecneulfni
DRAWOT A NOITAJLLAVER FO EHT SUSNESNOC
hguohtlA ti was ton litnu eht UN noitaralced fo lanoitanretnI s’nemoW
raeY ni 1975 that seiduts yllacificeps gniretnec no nemow erew -katrednu
,ne eht sgnidnif fo eht sei?xis and seitneves koot ffo morf eht evitcepsrep
just .denoitnem esehT deviecer snoiton erew detcejbus ot esolc yniturcs
hguorht laciripme .noitagitsevni nI eud ,esruoc ylralucitrap htiw eht -of
suc no nemow and ,tnempoleved noitnetta was drawn ot eht ytilaer fo
mass ,ytrevop and eht egami fo eht tnanimod onipiliF namow gniffocs at
eht noitacilpmi that ehs thgim deen noitarebil nageb ot .rulb nI ,trohs
sthgilf fo ycnaf hcihw eht tcejbus fo nemow yliramotsuc sekove had
ylirassecen ot eb deliatruc ni eht noitatnorfnoc htiw detagitimnu -monoce
ci hardship.
tsriF ot eb tsac tuo was eht noiton that nemow era laitneulfni ni eht
cilbup ,erehps a feileb dnuof ot eb yleslaf detaciderp no eht wef nemow
sredael esohw ecneserp ni tnemnrevog and noitacude eviecer ediw -icilbup
536 D. D. Aguilar
.yt ycnecalpmoC gnitser no eht desoppus ecnarednoperp fo nemow ni eht
snoisseforp ylkciuq dissipated htiw wen data. feihC fo eseht is eht -rofni
noitam that eht tsegral snoitartnecnoc era ni gnihcaet and nursing, htob
gniyap-wol ,snoitapucco and that esoht ohw enibmoc doohrehtom and
reerac esirpmoc less than %3 fo all deirram .nemow yB eht emas ,nekot
laicos stsitneics desolcsid that neve ssalc-reppu nemow ohw eveihca yrtne
otni eht cilbup erehps od os hguorht eht s’nemow seirailixua fo rieht
husbands’ .snoitazinagro ,yltneuqesnoC rieht ytiliba ot ekam snoisiced is
ni egral erusaem debircsmucric leitnoM( & ,renietsnlloH .)8791 nI ,tcaf
ereht is on ecaps nihtiw eht cilbup ton-erehps lanoitan ro lacol -nrevog
,tnem ron business ro eht ,snoisseforp ton neve ni eht dleif fo noitacude
erehw namow erehw-etanimoderp nemow trexe gnikam-noisiced rewop
zelaznoG( & ,renietsnlloH .)6791 tI was edam yltcnitsid raelc that nemow
evah rehgih tnemyolpmenu and tnemyolpmerednu ,setar era decalp ni
manual and lainem ,sboj and eviecer yltnetsisnoc 10~~. hsac sgninrae
evitaler ot nem ni eht emas yrtsudni and lanoitapucco puorg ,ollitsaC(
.)6791 nI ,tceffe ot“ yletauqeda assess and erusaem s’nemow noitapicitrap
ni eht tnempoleved ”ssecorp ,atoivE( 1978, p. ,)l an evitcejbo detalumrof
rednu eht sigea fo ,DIASU srehcraeser erew dellepmoc ot rednerrus roirp
snoitnevni ot ekam yaw rof a noitinifeder fo eht anipiliF erom ni enil htiw
eht wen data .detcelloc
neviG eseht laciripme seiduts and rieht cifitneics ,tsurht yhw eht -noc
gniunit noitacifitsym fo ?nemow yhW eht egami fo eht“ suougibma -iliF
?”anip A yroeht fo lauxes ,yrtemmysa cinoyrbme hguoht ti yam ,eb has
nugeb ot mrofni seiriuqni otni s’nemow status ni eht cilbup .niamod tuB
erehwesle ni- eht emoh ot eb ,tcaxe erehw eht lacigoloedi gof gnitaemrep
ylimaf snoitaler is ylralucitrap eht-esned dewollah emeht fo namow as
rehtom and efiw has os raf dedule .noitagorretni
GNIPPAM EHT CITSEMOD YROTIRRET
tnazingoC fo eht secnatsni fo cilbup ytilauqeni and eht lacidiruj -robus
noitanid fo nemow ni eht dlrow fo krow as llew as ni eht etavirp eno fo
eht ,emoh laicos srehcraeser detfihs eht dnuorg ot eht citsemod .mlaer
riehT noitnetni was ot enimreted eht snrettap fo roivaheb gniniatbo -htiw
ni eht noitnevnoc fo ylimaf .efil esehT stpmetta desucof no redneg selor
and ,snoitatcepxe htiw all seiduts substantiating eht dezilaedi egami fo
eht ylimaf gnola htiw eht detpecca snoiton fo ytininimef and .ytinilucsam
enO esac sevresed roirp .noitatic gniyreuQ rieht stnamrofni tuoba eht
laedi efiw and husband ni a yduts no sedutitta drawot ylimaf planning,
hcnyL and )8691(likaM deviecer sesnopser that dluoc ton evah neeb erom
.lacipytoerets ehT laedi husband is deviecrep as a doog redivorp and
yllarom doog ,.e.i( lufhtiaf ot his ,)efiw elihw eht laedi efiw is a doog
dlohesuoh ,reganam ,suoirtsudni and eerf fo .eciv sihT ledom fo a yldigir