'Hold in your belly . . . legs together': Chinese college teaches female students to be 'perfect'

[IronLionZion]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/hold-in-your-belly--legs-together-chinese-college-teaches-female-students-to-be-perfect/2018/06/25/c0e1205e-6a21-11e8-bbc5-dc9f3634fa0a_story.html?utm_term=.596bf8f391e0



At a college in southern China, Duan Fengyan is studying to be an accountant. She is also getting lessons in how to be a woman in the time of President Xi Jinping.

In a course launched in March, not long after China abolished presidential term limits, Zhen­jiang College and the All-China Women’s Federation have been teaching female students how to dress, pour tea and sit just so — all in the name of Xi’s “new era.”

“You must sit on the front two-thirds of the chair — you cannot occupy the whole chair,” said Duan, 21, demonstrating. “Now, hold in your belly, relax your shoulders, legs together, shoulders up.”

The class, offered only to female students, aims to develop “wise,” “sunny” and “perfect” women, where wisdom comes from studying Chinese history and culture, sunniness from oil painting and etiquette classes, and perfection from the application of (never too much) makeup.

The Communist Party wants women educated, yes, but with economic growth slowing and the population shrinking, it is bringing back the idea that men are breadwinners and women are, first and foremost, wives and mothers — so it is teaching young women that this is the norm.

How long before Republicans bring this mentality here to make America great again? You know, for economic and patriotic reasons.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Can footbinding be far behind?

[Chemisse]

2. Sounds like my girlhood.

And don't forget girls, your job is to please your man. Play dumb so he feels smart, make sure dinner is on the table when he gets home, and never forget he is the head of the family so you must do as he says.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. Gee, maybe that explains why I've remained single since my divorce in 1976.

I could manage the dinner on the table part, but I never could get the hang of that "play dumb" and do as he says part.

And for those of our younger posters, that really was the advice given to girls when I was growing up.

[Chemisse]

5. I was fortunate that my mother was the dominant partner in her marriage.

So I was not subjected to that from her (although that is just as bad, imo, equality is the way to go). But society was very clear that men were meant to be superior to the 'little women' in their lives.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. This was standard practice in the U.S. for centuries

[IronLionZion]

7. MAGA

They campaigned on taking us backwards, and they won the election

[BumRushDaShow]

8. ...

[OnDoutside]

6. Clearly they've been watching Blazing Saddles ...