[In-Depth Look] 'Femi', Why Did You Appear There?

Ham Hyeri / Journalist · Cultural Critic

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, have come to an end. We will forever remember the athletes' sweat and smiles, which felt like a refreshing shower cooling our hearts trapped by COVID-19 and the summer heat.

Among them, the athlete who cannot be left out when talking about this Tokyo Olympics is the short-haired young woman who set a new record as the first-ever triple gold medalist in the Summer Olympics, Ansan (20, Gwangju Women's University) from women's archery. Not only did she have a steel heart and outstanding skills, but Ansan's unwavering focus on hitting the gold target despite the sudden 'feminism controversy' will remain a topic of discussion for a long time. Foreign media gave an accurate diagnosis of this extraordinary incident. BBC and Reuters defined the attacks on Ansan as 'online abuse' and reported, "This is rooted in the anti-feminist sentiment spreading among young Korean men."

Anti-feminist sentiment is also expressed as misogyny and gender conflict. It stands in direct opposition to the social integration we must pursue. Gender conflicts, which had mainly unfolded in specific online communities, reignited during the early heated presidential election season and have spread as a social issue. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min and lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung, presidential candidates from the People Power Party, proposed abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family as an election pledge last month. Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, actively supported the abolition of the ministry. Regarding the ensuing 'feminism controversy' involving Ansan, party spokesperson Yang Jun-woo expressed the opinion that "the core issue is Ansan's use of misogynistic language." Despite deserving criticism, Lee responded by saying it was "just a personal opinion."

In a situation where solutions to heal social conflicts are urgently needed, it is uncomfortable to see the conservative political camp riding the wave of misogyny issues and fueling conflicts. It seems they have shifted their strategy to garner support from young men in their 20s and 30s who feel they are being discriminated against. However, such tactics inevitably come with backlash. In fact, support for the People Power Party among female voters is declining. This is the result of a series of issues accumulating like a gentle rain soaking clothes.

A public opinion poll conducted by Gallup Korea from the 3rd to the 5th of this month, surveying 1,001 people nationwide aged 18 and older, showed that the People Power Party's party support rate was 30%, 4 percentage points lower than the Democratic Party's 34%. Among men, support rates were 34% for the People Power Party and 31% for the Democratic Party, but among women, the People Power Party had 25% support compared to the Democratic Party's 36%, showing a gap. Comparing party support rates to those right after the April 7 by-elections: in the April 13-15 survey (People Power Party 30%, Democratic Party 31%), men supported the People Power Party at 31% and the Democratic Party at 30%, while women supported the People Power Party at 29% and the Democratic Party at 31%. Over four months, support for the People Power Party among men increased by 3 percentage points, but among women, it decreased by 4 percentage points.

They have lost more than they have gained. One might say that a 1 percentage point difference is not significant, but if the difference in support rates corresponds to the loss in female votes, it calls for a different perspective. It is also possible to predict that women's choices will be a crucial variable determining the direction of the next presidential election.

The reason for this lengthy discussion is to emphasize that whether in the ruling or opposition party, whether old or young, the political sphere must change its attitude toward gender issues. South Korea, officially an advanced country, remains most backward in the political arena. Words are verbose, and the desire for power is great, but the policies to support them lack depth and vision. It is not too late to properly study what problems women face, why they must always remain 'potential victims' in organizations they have entered through merit, and why women's labor is not properly valued.

Do not side with some netizens who distort feminism and react with outright rejection; instead, sincerely approach and listen to women's stories. Especially, sincerely reach out to women in their 20s and 30s and ask them what concerns they have and what kind of world they want. This is what the political sphere, responsible for the future, must do.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.