Myself being not too familiar with the concept of feminism before reading, I have picked up this book out of curiosity about the author as I have heard about her. The fact that after reading it, many of the concepts and points resonated with me greatly and are easily understandable, showed that misogyny is indeed deeply embedded in the culture I grew up in. Like the author said, when the content of this becomes non-sense, it is when we have finally achieved social equality.
A few key concepts and points of the book struck me especially, I will focus on the main ones that can be applied directly to my daily life. The concept of the objectification of sex, especially the definition of when someone truly becomes a 'woman' brought an existing perception inside me to surface. Someone (usually a girl) becomes a 'woman' when they realise their body is the sexual desire of men. From this point on, 'women' may act in certain ways when men are present and dress in certain ways. To a more serious extent, 'women' start to internalise men's gaze, start to value men's opinions and praise, and potentially tie them to self-value.
The above point struck me particularly, because I feel this is exactly what I have thought and experienced. I think maybe the latter points don't apply to all 'women', but especially apply to those who are more sensitive but are also lacking self-confidence and esteem. During my primary school year, I have not felt about the objectification of sex, and from my current knowledge, I think I am relatively undamaged in relation to the idea of gender difference either (in the academic sense that I did not feel boys are for certain subjects etc.). I did have contact with misogynistic views in the broader cultural and historical background though. For example, when learning about Chinese history, the concept of only male line inheritance and the rule of surname inheritance. There was also a primary school teacher (female), whose name, when translated literally, is 'let's have a younger brother'. Although these features surrounded me, I do not think they have influenced my life decisions in a negative ways, perhaps because I was valued within my family just the same. But the fact that I also did not question these features, also shows firstly a lack of awareness of the issue, and secondly a sense of acceptance.
The point when the idea of the objectification of sex started to sink into me, was when I was 16 turning 17. I went to an all girls secondary school, but transferred to a mixed high school. The experience of the all girls secondary education did the good thing that it did not sabotage my feeling of rights in doing science, but it also made me completely ignorance of boys. When I started high school, I felt a sense of awkwardness around boys (whether this is because of social or hormonal influence, I cannot yet tell). It was also at this point that I knew a boy had a crush on me, but I didn't like him. Thinking back now, I think I might have done a good job in ignoring him to a given capacity. But a sense of the inequality between the two sexes also began to surface, because although I didn't like him, I secretly cherished and was glad that he liked me, and had a tendency in showing this off to my girlfriends. But maybe this experience of being liked by the opposite sex, without having some more male contacts and friends first, also did a bad job on me. It accelerated the consolidation of the definition of a 'woman' idea in me, and it made it harder for me to approach boys, and believe in friendship-only relationships between the opposite sexes.
My mother also had influence on me in consolidating the definition of a 'woman', but I wouldn't say she has sole responsibility, because she is also the product of a misogynistic society, and my personality also contribute. All started with fashion. My mother often told me, how she dresses, is for her own sake and own amusement, it is not for the others to look at. I want to agree with this, but to my current knowledge, I also have doubts about it. On a personal level, whenever I dress well, I do have a desire for others to look at me. When one says dressing well is for 'one's own sake', but is it for your own sake because you have internalised others' values (or men's desires)? I am also thinking about the idea of being alone in the house, dressing well. How often do people do this? And when they do do these, and if it gives them a sense of order and higher confidence, what is this confidence based on? Why would one (eg females) feel more confident when they are dressed well?
For the two chapters in the extended edition, the author talked about sexual harassment and ugly women. Though I don't think I have experienced sexual harassment, but the danger or imminent prospect of it is within my consciousness. I have been very conscious of dressing too exposed (this is one female rule stemmed from my own family or culture perhaps) in public, and can feel awkward walking on the street when I have dressed well. I feel it is wrong to make reducing the risk of sexual harassment women's responsibility, but I feel this is exactly what I have done, and maybe many women have been doing given what the society is like.
The author talked about many stages of an ugly women (or 'uncomfortable women'), and like the author said, there is perhaps no females who don't resonate with any of the stages. The idea of if I am not pretty, I don't deserve being loved, is a critical one that match up with the sexual subjectification of male. My mother used to say my skin is too rough and needs polishing. And I remember thinking to myself, secretly, if my skin is rough, then no men would want to make love to me.
The last few pages of the book is attributed to going forward. Recognising misogyny is the first step, misogyny around us, within us. One can only become a feminist because one has misogynistic views. But given the long standing and strong foundation of the patriarchal society, and many women has established their self based on this societal system, it is extremely difficult to break free of the definition of a 'women', and to do so cannot be without pain.
For me, breaking free of the misogynistic views is one of the same with many of the other life lessons. For example, of living on your own standard (but what are these standards based on?), have a sense of subjectivity. A very important concept is that my value of myself does not change, whether I be liked, loved or not by others. Falling in love, getting married or have children are not the defining moments of my life. I am just the same, before and after.
The author pointed out that it is useful to investigate more of the misogynistic views present in different cultures. For example, Thailand has a higher tolerance of homosexuality, Korea has a mandatory conscription system. By understanding these different misogynistic views, one may find a way to break free. Because if we combine all of these different nonsenses together, when the social norms of one culture may seem absurd to another, one realises the artificiality of it all.
There are still some unresolved or at least not explicitly explained points in the book, such as how transgender people come into all of this, what are the nature of the relationship between homosexuality and misogyny.