We’re living in the 21st century in Singapore, a bustling metropolitan city that boasts of its efforts in sustaining a harmonious multi-racial society. Yes, it’s true that our streets are clean and safe as far as the eye can see but it’s becoming more apparent that we have been forgetting something; our humanity.

Besides the obviously disturbing cases of young people dying way too soon, another problem that has come to my attention is gender inequality. We might have included gender equality in the National Pledge, but that doesn’t mean the population abides by it.

Women, starting from the 18th century, have done almost everything they can to ensure that the rest of the world sits up and realizes the immorality of belittling women and what they can do. I do applaud the actions of our feminist predecessors but honestly the idea of changing an age-old mindset (and in some cases, religion-supported) is never that easy.

In Singapore, women arguably get a fair opportunity when it comes to their careers and general choices in life but what women really want is simpler than all that; what we want is respect. It is the same respect that every human being wants to make choices without being judged; we want to wear what we want without being called a slut or get leering looks from men, or to make a career choice without being called irresponsible, or to love who we want without being treated any less.

Unfortunately, as much as I would like to say that Singapore is as progressed as we make ourselves sound, we are not. There are pockets of population that are more backward than people in China. The other day, my group of girlfriends and I were harassed by a group of boys who resorted to, what else but masturbating actions when their intellect couldn’t get a reaction from us.

I’ll put aside the fact that most of us were lesbians, but doing such primitive actions to any female just goes to show how much the clog wheels in your brain are turning. It was as clear as day; when they realized that we won them in terms of aggression and vulgarities, it was the only thing they could resort to. And just to let you know, this not only happened with this group of boys; such an incident has happened before with another completely unrelated group.

Perhaps a lack of interaction with females during adolescence has ingrained in them a kind of desensitization to the actual gravity of their actions and of course, us being feminists, we are all the more offended. Another surprise was how males, as I have described, are capable of having female partners. How does any woman close her eyes with such a thick sense of self-denial to be with someone who blatantly insults the core of femininity without hesitation? For the answer to this question, you’ll have to ask Ms L. I’ll gladly do the introduction.

It does depress me to realize that after all the centuries of women giving their all in trying to get the respect every human being deserves, men like that still exist in our country and that I have the ill-fortune to know so many ‘fine’ specimens. However I also do know many great men and strong women who might be the only hope to our future.

About LYW
A contradictory feminist who is struggling to make sense of society and the regular person’s thought process. 
Nothing is too trivial to have an opinion of because having none would be akin to being dead.
She strongly believes that words were made to inspire, challenge and provoke so don’t be too offended if what she says hits too close to home. 
Her goal in life is to recreate a petting zoo in her home, oh, and also to never stop writing.