女性地位的提升是社会文明进步的标志 The Improvement of Female Status Is a Symbol of Social Civilization and Progress

In the 1980s, I studied at a vocational school in Weifang City. My classmates came from all over the province, but there were no classmates from Qingdao. Perhaps Qingdao has its own textile school and textile college, so students from Qingdao will not go to Weifang to study. Furthermore, Qingdao's developed economy and beautiful scenery are also important reasons. Unfortunately, we were unable to witness the beauty of Qingdao girls.

At that time, I noticed an interesting phenomenon - girls in our school who were beautiful, generous, articulate, and independent were generally from the coastal city of Yantai. Why are girls from Yantai so outstanding? I haven't found the answer yet.

Later, I saw an article explaining why girls in Sichuan, Chongqing, and other places are called "spicy girls", and why are the men there overshadowed by this? It turns out that the humid climate there makes it easier for men to develop arthritis, while women are less likely to develop it. The chief Minister of Kingdom of Shu three during the kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, sat on a wooden cart at a young age, probably due to his arthritis. This explanation is convincing, as the women there take on everything and have naturally aggressive personalities. However, this answer cannot explain the uniqueness of girls from Yantai.

Later on, I heard many topics about the comparison of status between men and women in developed southern cities such as Shanghai. Shanghai men (representatives of men from developed southern regions) are more likely to manage their homes, take charge of household chores, and earn money outside. However, they generally left their money in the charge of their wives and are more obedient to their wives. Women, on the other hand, wield economic power and have a say, rarely do household chores and enjoy life. In one sentence, that is women have a high status.

Finally, one day, I suddenly realized that the coastal areas were economically developed, social civilization was progressing, and the status of women was elevated and respected. The advancement of women's status has also become a symbol of social civilization and progress.

How can girls not be outstanding in an environment where women are the first?
I have thought of many domestic and international examples to illustrate the fundamental issues behind the phenomenon.

Domestically. The poorer and underdeveloped areas are, the lower the status of female (girls, women) there, and incidents of trafficking in women and children often occur. Women are sold as commodities, and boys are priced higher than girls. Even at the risk of punishment and fines, the families there still have to have a boy who can pass on the family line and honor their ancestors in the future, while the girls will get married in the future, and the daughter who gets married will be like spilled water. Girls are not valued and drop out of school early. They work in the fields and take care of their younger siblings. Some families even exchange their daughters for marriage in order to marry their sons, using their daughters' happiness in exchange for their sons' marriage.

In underdeveloped areas, male chauvinism is severe, and women do not have the right to speak. They are more focused on household chores and raising children. In some places, even if divorced, women still have to raise children and do not receive any family property.

On the contrary, in some developed regions, women are respected and even people prefer girls. If a girl in a family is valued, it must be a family with a good family background and a good education.

Internationally. In economically underdeveloped countries such as Southeast Asia and Africa, the status of women is very low, or even non-existent. In many developed countries in Europe, many women have become national leaders, such as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. From this, it can be seen that the more highly developed society is, the higher the status of women (the weak). On the contrary, the poorer society is, the lower the status of women (the weak).

Mr. Lu Xun said, "The strong draw their swords against the stronger, and the weak draw their swords against the weaker." It really hits the nail on the head! A poor and backward country (region, person) is just a weak person, and it will only bully the weaker.

上世纪八十年代，我在潍坊市的一所中专里读书，同学来自省内各地，但唯独没有来自青岛的同学。大约是青岛有自己的纺织学校及纺织学院，所以青岛的学生不会舍近求远到潍坊求学的。再者，青岛经济发达，景色秀丽，也是一个重要的原因。遗憾的是，我们无缘目睹青岛女孩的风采了。

那时，我注意到一个有趣的现象——学校里凡是长得漂亮、大方、能言善辩而又独立的的女孩，一般都是来自沿海城市烟台市。为何来自烟台的女孩都那么出众呢？我一直没有找到答案。

后来，看到一篇文章，解释了四川、重庆等地的女孩子为何被称为“辣妹子”，而那里的男人为何相比之下黯然失色呢？原来是那里的气候湿润，导致男人容易患上关节炎，而女人就不容易患上。蜀国丞相诸葛亮年纪轻轻就坐在了木轮车上，大约就是因为关节炎的缘故。这种解释令人信服，那里的女人承担了一切，性格自然泼辣，可这种答案并不能解释烟台女孩子的出众。

再后来，我听到了许多关于上海等南方发达城市里那人和女人地位比较的话题。上海男人（南方发达地区男人的代表）比较持家、主内、干家务活，也能在外挣钱，但一般都交给妻子掌管，也比较听妻子的话。而女人掌管经济大权，有话语权，几乎不做家务，享受生活。总之，一句话就是女人的地位高。

终于有一天，我茅塞顿开，原来沿海地区经济发达，社会文明发展进步，女性的地位得到提升并受到尊重，而女性地位的提升也成了社会文明进步的一个标志。

在一个“女士优先”的环境里，女孩子又怎能不优秀？

我想到了国内国际上的诸多事例，来说明现象后面的本质问题。

国内方面。越是贫穷落后地区，那里的女性（女孩、女人）的地位就越低，还时常发生拐卖妇女和儿童的事件。女人被当作商品买卖，男孩的价格要高于女孩。即使冒着被处分和罚款的风险，那里的家庭也要生一个男孩，将来可以传宗接代，光宗耀祖，而女孩子将来要嫁人，嫁出去的闺女那是泼出去的水。女孩子不受重视，很早辍学，下地干活，照顾弟弟妹妹。甚至有的家庭为了给自己的儿子娶上媳妇，会拿女儿来换亲，用女儿的幸福来换取儿子的婚姻。

落后的地区，男人大男子主义思想严重，女人没有话语权，更多的是操持家务和抚养孩子。在有的地方，即使离婚，女人还要养孩子，得不到任何家产。

相反，在一些发达地区，女性得到了尊重，甚至人们更喜欢女孩子。如果一个家庭里女孩子受到了重视，那一定是家境不错，也受过良好教育的家庭。

国际方面。东南亚、非洲等经济落后国家，女性的地位就很低，甚至说没有任何的地位。而欧洲许多发达国家，有许多女性都成了国家领导人，如英国首相撒切尔夫人、德国总理默克尔等。由此可见，社会越是高度发展，女人（弱者）的地位就越高，反之，社会越是贫困，女人（弱者）的地位就越低。

鲁迅先生说：“强者抽刀向更强者，弱者抽刀向更弱者。”真的是一针见血！贫穷落后的国家（地区、人），只是一个弱者，他或它只会欺侮更弱者。