I don't know how prevalent this view is, but some parents actually want the NS programme to be compulsory only for boys. Right....I really don't understand this presistent view that girls cannot deal with physical strain. Sure, they can't lift as much, and can't run as fast or far, but that doesn't mean that they cannot attend national service. Malaysian national service has never been about the army. Graduates from the camps are neither capable or expected to serve in the armed forces. Which means that the precious daughters of these parents will never be thrown into a jungle Steyr AUGs strapped onto them facing enemy fire.
Some might argue that a lot of them were brought up in protected environments and are ill-prepared for the rigours of NS. Well, lots of boys are pampered at birth too.If this idea makes it to implementation, I would see it as an insult to women. It is an insult that a lot of women are willing to take to make their lives just a little easier. (fine, in this case, a lot easier). But I have said before, taking this insult would mean that you cannot demand equality anymore. Doing so would make you a hypocrite. If women can be allowed the right to demand their rights, then so too do men. If she has a right to ask for equal pay in the workplace, then pincipally, he has a right to demand that she goes through the same kind of shit that society expects him to go through.
Unless it can be proven that women are really incapable of doing the kinds of things that they so conveniently avoid doing, they should be expected to contribute as well.
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2 comments:
Those parents are having conventionally super duper old conservative thinking. Our country is not having any warfare, why do they need to worry so much if their daughters are participating NS for the purpose of education, or rather letting them to see the so-called another side of the world? As in you deal with things like soldier-ship, holding m16 and da da da.
I think they are frightened from cases where some female students got raped, kidnapped and all the bad things happened to them. One could be they were super duper unlucky. Another would be either they were "naughty" in the sense where they want to do "other stuffs" in the camps or they just plain naive where they easily conned.
So, there's nobody to put the blame on. Again, parents playing a big, big role to discipline their children, educate them, lead them to the correct paths. But then again, the children should not rebel just because they think their parents aren't giving them freedom.
Women - Men. Men - Women. No, it's not equal, gender roles mah, right? I agree with Kah Joon. If a woman gets what she asked for, then it will be the same as for any man.
I remember Dr. Carmen said about paternity. If woman can have it, why not man? Man can also take care of children, right? No breast milk, fine. We have device called, the breast pumps where we use to collect breast milk from mothers after giving birth. Heh.
Well well well...
I can guarantee u all that NS is nothing but an enjoyable and a wonderful learning journey to be independent, brave and learn to mix around with all the races. I was the apprentice, yeah!! (proud to say that)
Anyway, I think Amy is right. Their parents are just worried about the safety of their daughters too much. Guess what? Why not tell their daughters to follow the rules and orders instead? Most of the time, accidents happen due to rules not followed or doing thing against the orders/commands given. However, the NS committee should improve and make sure the NS campsites are in safety and cleanliness control.
As for the equality, NS can hardly be compared with the normal life equality. C'mon, not every guys and girls can play the same role like anybody else. It all depends on physically and mentally fitness. There were some guys and girls cant do the monkey bars like I did or perhaps the stamina I had for my jungle trekking. I am not trying to boast about myself, but it's true.
Yes, I wont deny that NS should be applied to both guys and girls. Coz that's not really army type of training but merely more than a discipline summer camp. =)
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