South Korea’s capital government is criticized for now-deleted online guide for pregnant women that featured sexist tips and gender stereotypes
SEOUL, South Korea – The government of South Korea’s capital has been criticized for an online guide for pregnant women with sexist tips and gender stereotypes.
The now-deleted guidelines, published on the website of the “Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Center” in Seoul, suggested that pregnant women prepare food, clothing and daily necessities for their husbands and family before going to the hospital to give birth . They offered weight management tips, hanging smaller sized clothes for motivation, and warned women about spending excessive amounts on children’s clothing.
South Korea has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, according to the United Nations Population Fund, and is trying to encourage more births. But critics say those efforts have been hindered by a government that often reflects a deeply patriarchal society and widespread sexist attitudes.
“It’s like Seoul City declares that a woman should do all the housework,” Kim Hyomin, a student at Duksung Women’s University, said in a telephone interview.
The manual was published in 2019, but only received a lot of attention last week when social media was criticized. The late anger prompted the capital to drop the guidelines and sparked online petitions demanding that she apologize.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government acknowledged in a statement on Monday that it had not thoroughly checked the guidelines, which it said originally came from the Ministry of Health and Welfare website, and promised to review city-related websites and educate workers about gender equality.
The guidelines also warned women of the increased risk of preterm birth if a spouse “ suddenly throws himself on her ” or engages in “ aggressive sexual activity. ”
The guidelines promoted and normalized gender violence, said Ji-Yeong Yunkim, assistant professor at the Institute of Body and Culture at Konkuk University.
“Women are supposed to sacrifice themselves and take care of grown men, no matter how difficult it is,” said Yunkim.
This is not the first time that government efforts to increase the birth rate have failed.
In 2016, the South Korean Ministry of the Interior launched a website with a birth chart showing the number of women of childbearing age by city district and region. That website was pulled after a public outcry.
Yunkim, the professor, said the South Korean government’s recurring accidents stem from the male-dominated institutions of women’s perception.
“They see women more as means of reproduction than individuals,” said Yunkim.