Sexism & Racism

……有一种女性，她们时常把“平等”挂在嘴边，但事实上只不过是享受“平等”带给她们的好处，而不是精神上的真正自立。她们总在“利己”的情况下抬出“平等”的大旗，要男人作出妥协，但若把她放到男人的处境时，她们却未必愿意作出妥协……

摘之《星洲日报》副刊《快乐星期天》

Brief translation:-

...... Some ladies, always talk about 'equality', but in fact, they are just enjoying the privileges they get from being 'equal'. They play the 'equality' cards and demand the guys to compromise, for something is beneficial to them. Nevertheless, they are not willing to compromise if they were in the guys' shoes ......

Yeah, I've met quite a number of such ladies, especially during my uni time back in UK. It could be because they were more educated and became smarter & more demanding. So, they knew how to play these games well!

Nevertheless, I think the keyword here is not 'equality' but 'respect'. Respect, is not something one could demands for it, nor begs for it. One should earn it with pride.

Most of the great women in the world are so well respected; it's not because they asked for it. It's because of what they have done for others. They have contributed so much to the society and helped people in non-selfish way. People remember them for these good deeds. They didn't play the Gender Card.

You might be opposing what I'm saying now, because I'm in the dominant side. True. In general, people’s view is that, discrimination can only be discussed among the weaker voices. The majority should not raise this issue so as to avoid any resentment.

OK. Let it be fair. Now, take myself away from the circle of men and put into the hoop of ethnic Tionghua. In my home country, the Tionghua community is not the dominant group. Sadly, the majority-minority separation always brings up the heated discussion on discrimination.

All the while, I have seen how most of the people of Tionghua here, played the Racial Card successfully, at the end of every games, for the privileges of being 'equal'. They demanded the 'respect' without dignity. They didn’t earn it!

Once the card is played, one is separating them self from the rest. In my opinion, this oneself is discriminating them self! We could be badly discriminated or marginalized, but, playing the Racial Card is not going to put these discriminations and marginalization to the end. The cycles are heading no way.

Being the member of the minority or non-dominant groups, doesn’t give us a very valid reason to play the games by intercepting the Gender or Racial Card. What we really have to do is to be true to ourselves and do not ever differentiate us from others. What’s more important, accept who we are, and too, who the others are.