Gender inequality has been a major global issue for the last few years, but it has especially been a topic of great controversy in Korea. Korean society has become very sensitive to the issue, and it has almost become taboo in public spaces among people.

Why is this such an issue? I believe it is because there have been so many media reports portraying the issue in such divisive ways. Instead of focusing on the ways more unity and harmony can be achieved, the media is focusing too much on what is going on right now.

Furthermore, because there isn’t a proper curriculum for schools that include insightful education on gender equality, students aren’t able to gain a proper view of gender equality. Rather, they encounter extreme views on internet sites. This in and of itself is not a problem, as everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, when students, who don’t have an insight in the issue, are surrounded by these hateful, divisive comments, they are bound to think within the boundaries of this dichotomy. This doesn’t help to ameliorate the situation, as there is a continuous increase in the number of people who are joining in on the conflict.

How can this be resolved? There should be a new curriculum implemented in all schools, which provides unbiased information on the differences between men and women and how to respect that. Also, factual evidence should be used to display the inequality existing. Active discussions should be encouraged among students so that they can develop insight into the concept or issue of gender equality. This way, there will be a culture formed in society that rejects extreme hate speech but stimulates proper discourse in the future. There will be more solutions to the situation, contrary to the abundance of hate in the status quo.

On the level of the entire society, the government should be making campaigns that promote less hate and more objective view in the issue of gender equality. Also, there needs to be a shift of view from looking at gender equality through a political lens to looking through a humanitarian lens. That way, people can look at it as a national problem to solve, rather than an issue where one side wins the argument. I hope, through this article, more people have gained more awareness of this serious issue.

유승현 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

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