BACSA, SYLVIA ANTHEA D.

GEDO101 Section 6

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 6

1. How are the protagonists described in the two videos?

 The protagonists’ (the foot-bounded women and the women of Iran), for me, and
based on the videos, are dictated by their society and their cultures. In the video
about Iran, men are strict when it comes to women. They must be separated in
restaurants, they must have a veil and the required clothing, and other various things.
On the other video, about the foot-bounded women, they are forced mostly by their
parents and their family and that culture and tradition played a role in their case.
They believe that foot-binding makes a woman beautiful and because of that, they
did that and follow that culture and tradition for they believe that what they stand for
is right and just.
2. What are the main points of the two videos?
 For me, the main points of the video are mainly to showcase the existing cultures and
traditions that can still be found in the present era. Though yes, foot-binding is not
allowed now in this generation, but there are still existing people who had
experienced these types of hardships and inequalities. In the case of the Iranian
women, I believe it is still present in their country. Women does not have the power
and the right to do whatever they want to do. They must abide in the law and that
they must follow what their tradition and culture dictates. The 2 videos are for giving
out information to the public and that they show the situations women have
experienced and, the hardships, inequalities, and sexism women faced.
3. What are the similarities and differences of the gender issues portrayed in the videos?
 The similarities is that this happened to women; culture, society, and tradition played
a role on both sides; there was a time in their lives that these rules or laws are that
strict and it must be followed; they experienced inequalities when it comes to one’s
benefits in a society; they have no right or power to stand for their beliefs; and that
 they all experienced abuse and violence, either physically (foot-binding while infant
or young), verbally (they hadn’t had freedom of speech), and/ or other unmentioned
aspects of a person’s life. When it comes to differences, I can say that the way or
method of showing these gender issues are not that similar to each other, like in the
case of the foot-bounded women, it was about foot-binding, and that in the case of
the Iranian women, it showcased the things a woman must do while in Iran like the
clothes, distance, and etc. Different topics, different methods, yet only one similar
issue prevailed, sexism or the prejudice and discrimination on a gender like women.

4. How are women portrayed in the videos? Explain.

 Women are portrayed as subordinates to men in the videos, if not to men, their
society or the environment that they lived in. In order to fit into their society’s
standards, they are the ones adjusting to it. In the case of the Iranian women, I have
observed that they just go with the flow of what their laws or rules dictate and even
though there are pros in these, there are still cons present like through their
submissive nature, they do not have the power and they do not have equal rights as
compared to men. When that happens, benefits are short in terms to women as
compared to men. It shows one’s inequalities in its own societies, and through this,
violence and abuse can enter into the person’s (abused) life. In the case of the foot-
bounded women, they are also followers or subordinates of their previous society,
culture, and tradition. Because of that, for they think that doing that thing will make
them beautiful, they are experiencing long cons like the pain that they must endure
while walking, the rate or speed of how they walk, and etc.

5. List at least three issues of women in the society.

 Stereotypes of supposed “Women” Characteristics as perceived by society

 Ignorance

-Examples:

 People not hearing their opinions

  People discounting their opinions
 Lack of respect

 Racism

Skill Focus
Making Inferences

The Last Generation: The Lives of Foot-bound Women

Inference Clues Background Knowledge and
Experience
Foot-bounded women still They tend to walk slowly Broken bones would not
experienced the pain while because of it. mend on its own unless
walking. medications are given to it
immediately.
They realized that foot- They got rid of it. Foot-binding resulted to
binding was perilous and numerous physiological
dangerous to women’s health. implications to women and
that studies also show that it
just not give pain and
deformities to the feet, but,
aside from that, it can also
affect the entire body as a
result of the practice in terms
of balance, movement, and
etc.
They were forced by their They usually foot-bound Small and young children are
parents, society, family, etc. small children, young ones, powerless and unable to resist
or in their infant years when they were foot-bounded
by their family.
Many men tried to win foot- Foot-binding became the People are often attracted to
bounded women’s hearts. basis of beauty in their their opposite genders if they
 society. came from the same
Background background, similar tastes,
and etc. Chinese men during
that time made foot-binding a
law, therefore, they are
agreeing to its rules and
regulations, making them to
have a type or taste in women
similarly. They also came
from the same background,
China, therefore, they are
compatible to each other.
Foot-binding is painful to women and that it Combining all clues and background.
must be stopped.

Iran: Behind the Veil

Inference Clues Background Knowledge and
Experience
Iranians follow their rules or It can be found on their They (Iranian men) do this,
laws strictly. clothing, their distances to (distancing to women) and
each other, their everyday etc., mainly because it is their
lives, jobs, religion, and etc. culture and tradition, and also
because they respect women
through this, and that it also
shows that women respect
their own selves.
Due to the increase of In the last part, women had Due to the increase period
awareness of gender issues in the time to exercise and do over time, culture or values
today’s era, they reduced the some of the things that they tend to change for the better
strictness when it comes to want. because of wide knowledge
women. and wisdom uncovered, truths
 that are settled, and also
because, culture and
traditions are dynamic when
it comes to changing habits
that are bad or unbeneficial to
good and beneficial ones.
Lawbreakers may or may not When the reporter came It may be that it is against
be punished abusively and/or looking for a house to their cultures and traditions. It
violently. document its living may also be that they have
conditions, most of them known or experience abuse
rejected the said cause and and violence, therefore,
that they are afraid. Only one making them afraid and
approved. terrorized. They may not be
punished because there was
still a household that
welcomed them even though
they are worried, frantic, and
afraid and because of the
reason that it is against their
rules and traditions.
Iranian women still follow rules, regulations, Combining all the clues and background.
laws, cultures, and traditions that are
important and holy to their own set of
standards, but, there are also some times that
they can do what they want by still observing
proper rules and etiquettes, and etc. (reduced
strictness)