Reflection Paper 9684p

Paulo D. Salada BA Mass Communication Soc. Sci.-I

July 20, 2012

A Reflection Paper on: WOMEN’S EDUCATION IN EARLY VISAYAN SOCIETY AND IN THE SPANISH ERA UP TO 1860 In every human society, there always exist discrimination and rejecting women’s power and right to do what they suppose to do. They are like video clips put in halt waiting for someone to play it again. Women of today’s generation are free to exercise freedom and rights; culture and tradition; and, job and employment. But still, the question rises up asking, “Do those above mention limitless?”, and if, “Does it mean discrimination among women is vanishing?” Upon reading the selection, I have noticed the variation of a feminine’s part in the society from time to time. They began with dignity and rights but when colonizers came; they ended up nothing in the general public and in fact served only as a shadow of men. As a proof that women have their dignity in the early times is women’s hair was considered their crowning glory and so, men are not free to touch it except for a reason for to do so is well thought-out as an offense. Filipinas then can talk whatever and whenever they want enjoying their freedom over their bodies in of sexual pleasures. Moreover, gender equality really matter in the old times that a woman can also be a leader of a group –so brave and though just like any other male leader. It was then the Spaniards, the early colonizers, who introduced to us the concept of what a woman must possess in front of people in accordance to their religion –Christianity. They had told our forefathers that women must follow the deeds of the Blessed Virgin Mary like being gentle, obedient housewife, always next to men and settles only at home to grow children. They also instil in the minds of native Filipinos that woman especially the babailan, an empowered female in the pre-colonial barangay, regarded as works of the devil which later transform their realization and their status. Women were altered as tools of affiliation to enlarge trade networks, so that some became wives to Spaniards overnight. In addition to this, women can no longer express their insights through speaking and in making conversation with others because they were then prohibited to talk unless told to do so. This dilemma can no longer exist in this modern world for women nowadays learned how to fight for their freedom and learned how to stand from being abused and burden. After their long sleep, here they are now, running the entire nation paving its way to level the ability of man of today. And I believe that in empowering women and gender equality, we can live a better life for we are all created equal. It is definitely right for us to exercise the respect towards women for they serve as flowers that beautify a place no matter how bare and dirty it is. And it’s nice to hear in the present that women started to excel in all fields of work and study. This selection somehow teaches me how to be a respectful individual to women like my classmates, my teachers and to my mom for they had gone through struggles fighting for their rights and honour to again achieve the respect that they deserve. Now, as we are taught, I promise to maintain this ROR of mine as a salute and iration to the softhearted creature which represents- Respect, Obey and Repay.