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Post by TheBo on Jan 5, 2010 10:40:46 GMT -5
Bird, I think mt's suggestion of putting it into a post would be okay. We just don't like large photos here, they "blow the edges" off of people's screens, but if you copy the words into a post, they should wrap properly. If not, I can probably adjust it for you. The only problem you might have is you might exceed the "word count" in a post, but as mtlandis says, you could split it up.
Bo
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Post by bird11 on Jan 5, 2010 12:57:49 GMT -5
Ok, here is my daughter's school paper, I copied and pasted it into this post-- thanks for eeryone's suggestions-- I hope this post doesn't "blow up" our board! ;D Like everyone else, I am really missing watching dramas on my TV, but mostly I have been missing reading all of the comments about the shows. Please read my daughter's paper and let me know what you think. I liked the comment about making this into a series/drama, my daughter loves to write/post "fanfiction" online, so it sounded just like something she would do!! Kam-sam-mi- da to all for your help!
Unwed Mothers in South Korea Dr. Richard Boas, an ophthalmologist from Connecticut, adopted a Korean girl in 1988, supported overseas adoptions, and gave others assistance to do the same. His magnanimous endeavors seemed a great way to help children in other countries. However, his mindset changed when he visited South Korea and found an entire room of pregnant women in their mid-twenties who had already decided to give their children up for adoption. They all had one thing in common: they were all unmarried (Sang-hun). Korea's culture supports familial traditions, but men generally run the household, leaving women to housekeeping and childcare. This patriarchal philosophy causes unmarried mothers to be shunned, leaving many women unwilling or unable to brave the poverty and raise their own children. In 2007, 96 percent of all pregnancies in unmarried Korean women became abortions. 70% of women who go on to give birth surrender their child to an adoption agency, compared to only 1 percent in the U.S. (Sang-hun). In order to improve Korea’s birth rate and give single mothers the freedom they deserve, women should be given the aid they need to overcome society’s image. Support groups, such as the Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network, should receive more assistance in their quest to empower single mothers in Korea. Above all, the base of the issue lies in the lack of assistance from the Korean community. Lee Mee-kyong, a 33-year-old unmarried mother, describes the situation: "Once you become an unwed mom, you’re branded as immoral and a failure. People treat you as if you had committed a crime. You fall to the bottom rung of society" (qtd. in Sang-hun). In addition, while Mee-kyong searched for a job, she got turned down eight times as soon as the companies discovered her status as a single mom (Sang-hun). Without a job, single mothers must face living in poverty, and most times, they must deal with it alone. The same opinion of single mothers lies within their families as well, causing many unwed mothers to give up their children because they feel that the lack of support from their family, community, and government leaves them with no option (Na-ri). The mother of an unmarried pregnant woman, along with the mother of the baby’s father, would demand that her daughter get an abortion or give the child up for adoption (Dobbs). Some families move away or lie about unmarried births in the family. One woman's family went to an extreme: they changed their phone number so their daughter couldn't call them. In addition, her father would burn all the letters she sent him and relatives wouldn't let their shamed daughter and her son visit her hospitalized father (Sang-hun). It took three years for the woman's family to accept her back into their home, where she found her father crying over one of her letters (Sang-hun). The incident affected her family as much as it did her. In order to improve the lives of single women and their families, the widespread opinion against single mothers has to be changed. Unfortunately, society's opinion on the issue has deep roots. Part of Korea's culture contains aspects of Confucianism, a philosophy that places men as the money earning, decision-making protectors of the household (Knoll). Furthermore, the government-run family record system, the hoju system, keeps records listed in one unit under the head-of-household's last name. While this lets women keep their maiden names, it means their names don't appear on family documents and leaves them with few rights. Divorced or single women go unrecognized and their children can only be known through the father (Knoll). These systems give women little value in families, an effect that works against their ability to raise a child on their own. Without anyone to back them up or give them a job, single mothers struggle to care for themselves and their children. While this tradition has an importance, it should be changed to better adapt a progressing society. In addition to society’s pressure, adoption agencies also influence women into giving up their children. In Korea, the market system, rather than the government, runs international adoption ("A Smart"). However, making adoption a business only encourages agencies to increase adoptions. Adoption agencies offer incentives, such as free medical care, to convince mothers to give their children up for adoption (Boas). Also, some agencies bring paperwork to expectant mothers before they even give birth, returning 72 hours after the birth when the hospital discharges the mother, leaving no time for paperwork that could allow a later family reunion. If the mom changes her mind and wants to keep her child, the agency may charge her for her time in the hospital (Dobbs). Many agencies also charge mothers for the child care given between the child’s birth and placement in an adopting home, a bill that forces many mothers to lose their children (Dobbs). For an unmarried woman, these charges leave them with no options. In 2008, children of single mothers constituted 80.9% of domestic adoptions and 89.1% of overseas adoptions (Middlebury). Adoption shouldn’t be left to the market so unwed mothers can have the opportunity to care for their own children. Despite the obstacles in their way, single mothers have made progress in their goal. A small group of single mothers, about 40 so far, have been speaking out against the society that shuns them (Sang-hun). They’ve gathered together to support each other and work towards taking care of their own children. A group such as this has great potential in giving unmarried mothers the communal feeling their neighbors may be unwilling to provide. Moreover, some children from Korea who had been adopted by foreign families have come back to Korea to aid single mothers (Sang-hun). While an outside opinion may not be completely accepted, it does help bring another perspective from a different culture. Such an action could draw good attention, both from ordinary people and government officials. While manpower may be short and fundraising might take some time, a small group has the possibility of spreading ideas from place to place and speaking to the people more directly. Not only have mothers created their own group, but Dr. Richard Boas, the ophthalmologist from Connecticut, has helped as well. He organized a group known as the Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network (abbreviated KUMSN). KUMSN supports tens of thousands of single mothers in Korea, providing research on their lifestyle and informing policymakers of the issue's importance (Ji-Sook). They strive to provide supplies and support to unwed mothers so they can have the opportunity to raise their own children (Boas). Unlike the previous, smaller groups, KUMSN works on a somewhat larger scale. They support and fund a number of actions to help unwed mothers, such as research grants, direct support for single mothers and their families, a community center, agencies to advocate on their behalf, and a workshop and major forum in Seoul, South Korea (Boas). For example, KUMSN director Dr. Boas helps fund Ae Ran Won, a facility to help single mothers become independent (Na-ri). Ae Ran Won Unmarried Mothers Home educates women in decision-making, job training, child-care, household tasks, and medical assistance. 80% of the women who stayed there and benefitted from this program decided to keep their children (Boas). Though a larger-scale group such as this would require more funding and volunteers, it could increase public awareness of the issue and provide a bigger effect. KUMSN better solves the problem, providing a quicker spread of news and a greater area of assistance. Until this issue can be resolved, single mothers can rely on groups like KUMSN for support and help in raising their own children. Groups like KUMSN already educate and empower single mothers to allow them to raise their own children, but with help their aspirations could become reality quicker than planned. Solving this dilemma would increase worldwide awareness about the number of adopted children who still have loving but unable parents. Such publicity will encourage people to reconnect adopted children with their parents, an action that could be especially heartwarming to adoptees from foreign countries. Dr. Boas, though happy with his adopted daughter, said, "I got to realize that, behind our pleasure of having a daughter, there was a Korean mother weeping over giving up her child" (Ji-Sook). While this issue may not be as popular as others, it has just as much meaning. Communities ostracize single mothers, trapping them between the choice of raising their child in poverty or shipping him/her away to a faraway country with no knowledge of whether they will ever meet again. The world should take charge of this issue to keep these children in the loving arms of the women who can engender Korea’s next generation.
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Post by TheBo on Jan 5, 2010 13:49:34 GMT -5
Very nicely done, Bird. While I support freedom of choice, both in birth control and other matters people don't like talking about because they fight, I firmly believe those choices include the right to decide whether to marry and the right to raise one's own child without ostracization. Also, I'd go further--there should be social services to allow single and divorced women to keep their children in a level other than poverty. It does seem Korea is particularly struggling with this issue, as well as the one of acceptance of people of different races (another reason for adoptions and child abandonment), but at least, they are working on it. I wish people here in the States were more aware of and generous in regard to child poverty, too.
I'll climb off the hobby horse now. I wonder--did your daughter (or you) ever see Yellow Handkerchief? That drama was pretty much entirely a discussion of these matters. Unfortunately, it was also rather long and is almost impossible to find on line and nonexistent on DVD (except for pirates--bad, bad pirates).
Bo
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Post by bird11 on Jan 5, 2010 15:18:36 GMT -5
thanks for the post, I agreed with what you wrote, I think having choices is important. I think the most important thing I learned in all of this is when I first read the article, my 11 yr old "caught" me at the computer reading and he started reading it over my shoulder. I then showed it to my daughter. Without even getting into the subject, both of my kids thought the way the girls were treated by their families and society was not very fair- and this made me proud, for families should be there to support each other in everything they do.
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Post by TheBo on Jan 5, 2010 15:30:51 GMT -5
...Without even getting into the subject, both of my kids thought the way the girls were treated by their families and society was not very fair- and this made me proud, for families should be there to support each other in everything they do. Warms my heart. Bo
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Post by bird11 on Jan 5, 2010 16:16:48 GMT -5
Oops, I did forget to mention that I have not seen "Yellow Handkerchief", although I do recall it being mentioned in many a post! My first drama was "The Great Jang-geum" (sp?) and I have been hooked ever since. I drove my daughter's friend home from a sport meet recently and had the music from "Boys Before Flowers" playing in the car and she could not believe it! My daughter is a big anime fan, but I have yet to turn her into a "drama fan"!
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Post by Richard Boas on Jan 9, 2010 15:27:29 GMT -5
Congrats to Bird's daughter for her paper on unwed Korean moms and the difficulties they face--and to Bird for raising her kids to recognize social injustice--and do something about it.
Bird, I'd be pleased to discuss the issue with you and your daughter. We are constantly looking for ways to increase public awareness and help Korea positively and effectively address the matter. You can reach me through kumsn@kumsn.org
Best, Richard Boas, MD Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network
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Post by TheBo on Jan 29, 2010 10:38:04 GMT -5
Speaking of women in Korea, I was looking for information on Kim Man-duk (a Chosun-dynasty female merchant; KBS is doing a drama about her), and I found this interesting blog post from Joongang Daily: inscribing women on currencyI know it's not exactly on topic, but it is an interesting sidelight. Bo
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Post by bird11 on Jan 30, 2010 19:54:37 GMT -5
Thanks for a interesting article, I always thought it was strange that the only coin we have with a female face is SB Anthony coin and no one really uses it! On a whole other topic, I know a lot of people like Korean History, but I have recently read two good books based on Chinese history and I thought I would post them to see if anyone was interested-- One was called Empress Orchid by Anchee Min and another called Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See-- the first one is set with a girl's desire to be in the The Forbiden City with the Emperor, and shows a lot of differences of males and females at that time and how she adapts to that life. The other one tells the story of two girls who become friends at the suggestions of adults in their lives and how they get married, have children and survive in a male dominate society, also dealing with status of rich/poor and learning a secret writting taught by woman so they can commucate even though writting by women is frowned upon. They were both really good. I got them at the library
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Post by kpopgrrl on Jan 31, 2010 2:32:22 GMT -5
There is the Sacajawea dollar.
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Post by TheBo on Feb 2, 2010 11:17:54 GMT -5
That's true, kpopgrrl. Why do they always put women on dollar coins? Could it be that nobody wants to use them? LOL. It's my conspiracy theory and I'm stickin' with it. Those books sound good, bird. Have you heard of Ho Xuan Huong ( Spring Essence trans by John Balaban)? She was a courtesan and poet in Vietnam, 18th Cty, and one of the first to use the Vietnamese vernacular language in writing. I've got the book; the poems are very beautiful and quite oblique. In fact, as Balaban explains, they are quite sexual but so oblique you need him to tell you that, even though anyone reading them at the time she wrote would know it. (I would not normally mention that but people do seem to get upset if something is sexual in nature, no matter how discreet, so I like to be up-front about it.) Here's a link to an article about Balaban by a Vietnamese on-line news source: www.lookatvietnam.com/2009/03/poet-loves-vietnamese-poems.htmlBo PS - I was looking at koreanwiz and she recommends these books about Korean culture: www.koreanwiz.org/shopping7.htmlMaybe you've seen them already, bird, but if not, maybe they're available at your library?
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Post by Soju on Feb 3, 2010 9:32:13 GMT -5
Britain has a woman on ALL their money: Queen Elizabeth II. While checking to make sure of that, I found that the lowest denomination British banknote is five Pounds (about eight US Dollars). For anything smaller, coins are used. I just don't get Americans' failure to embrace Higher-denomination coins, such as the Sacajawea and S. B. Anthony Dollars. You almost never see a Kennedy Half-dollar either, anymore, but they still make them. Boy, they look huge when you do get them. When i visited Japan a few years ago, I really liked the 100 and 500 Yen ($1 and $5) coins. It was so convenient to pay for small items with a few coins, not having to fumble through your wallet, too. Not to mention that Japanese currency is taller and narrower that US currency, so the bills didn't quite fit in my American wallet . If you've ever had to count a stack of One-dollar bills, you know how skanky they can get in just a few months of circulation. Coins can stay in circulation indefinitely. We should just get rid of One-dollar bills. If they stopped making them now, the existing supply would wear out in less than two years. By then, I don't think people would miss them.
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Post by TheBo on Feb 3, 2010 11:04:30 GMT -5
I used to be against using dollar coins (14 dollar bills sure weigh a lot less than 14 dollar coins) instead of dollar bills, but you do make good points, soju. Also, Canada and UK both use dollar and two-dollar coins, and everyone seems to be just fine with it. (I love Canada's versions--the "loonie" and the "toonie"--hah. Those Canadians are a gas.)
Bo
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Post by bird11 on Feb 5, 2010 15:15:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the book suggestions, looks like one of the authors Koreanwhiz mentions has a book at my library, so I will check that out. No luck on the others or the one you mentioned so I will have to search around.
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Post by ajk on Feb 8, 2010 17:55:27 GMT -5
Been meaning to get to this one--your daughter did a real nice job on this, bird. I especially like that she was thorough about citing sources. I don't know what her future plans are, but the farther she goes with her education, the more important it becomes to provide solid citations for her research. Very good piece of work.
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