COMMON GROUND SPRING 2019 WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUE
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THE HEART AND SOUL OF SEOUL PASTOR LEE AND THE BABY DROP BOX
LEGALIZED TO PROTECT MEN IS LEGAL SEX WORK GOOD FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH?
TWO THOUSAND BODIES THE CRISIS AT WAT PHAI NGERN Photo by DGT Portrait
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Vientiane, Laos
Yangon, Myanmar
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MISSION STATEMENT
Common Ground provides a space for storytelling from around the world that sheds light on a global issue from local perspectives. By addressing multiple perspectives, we hope to facilitate a broader understanding of the issues that affect our world. Each issue of Common Ground examines a specific theme that enables discourse through a critical lens. Our CIEE student contributors investigate, reflect upon, and relay their international experiences through writing, photography, and other artistic endeavors with the hope that together, we can learn and connect on common ground. Common Ground grew out of CIEE Khon Kaen, a communitybased study abroad program in the Northeast region of Thailand. The original student-produced magazine functioned as a forum for the voices of local peoples, with the objective of building solidarity amongst grassroots communities in order to promote a more just and participatory world. Now, Common Ground magazine is a collaboration between CIEE study abroad program participants across the globe. As a necessary step in facilitating dialogue across communities, this issue of the magazine has expanded to involve perspectives of students in 10 countries.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS “We all speak different languages, but we laugh and cry the same.” -Ramduan Dear readers, There is something really beautiful about knowing that no matter the distance that separates us, the differences in languages, nuances in norms, and variations in culture, there are some things that stay the same: we are all people. This is the idea that ignited our team’s passion towards Common Ground, and more specifically, this issue’s topic of women’s health. Women of all ages, nationalities, sexualities, and ethnicities are beautiful, strong, and unique, but they all face the complexities and complications that come with women’s healthcare. Over the past semester students studying abroad in countries around the world have come together to share their voices, perceptions, experiences, and newfound knowledge about the significance of women’s health in their host country. They have dived in, formed relationships with locals, conducted interviews, and stepped foot in some of the most populated and most isolated corners of the world. They have reflected on their observations and shared it with us, and now with you. This issue of Common Ground, comprising of pieces from around the world, exists to compile works filled with humor, depth, passion, and tragedy in order to explore the intricacies of women’s health from a global perspective. In this way we look to see both the similarities that draw the women of our world together and the differences that make us all unique. Our hope is that these stories can resonate with you in the same way they have with us. Sincerely, Common Ground Editorial Team
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SIDNEY S H E A
TERESA
PRIYA
M O N T A N E R O
V A I K U N T A P A T H I
MEET THE EDITORS S P R I N G
ABBY H O R N E R
2 0 1 9
RICARDO B A L D E R R A M A - C A R A V E O
OLUBANKE A G U N L O Y E
ALEXIS M A R T I N
MONICA B I S S M E Y E R
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6 4
1
8 9 10
3
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2 WHERE ARE OUR WRITERS?
1 . Rebecca M. Duran, Hope College 2. Apoorva Mangipudi, Reed College 2. Ava Rosato, Georgetown University 1. Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic 2. Buenos Aires, Argentina 3. Dakar, Senegal 4. Haifa, Israel 5. Amsterdam, Netherlands 6. St. Petersburg, Russia 7. Khon Kaen, Thailand 8. Nanjing, China 9. Shanghai, China 10. Seoul, South Korea
3. Gabrielle Hoessly, Colgate University 4. Anja Minninger, The University of Alabama 5. Amber Montalvo, Trinity College 6. Azura FairChild, University of California, San Diego 7. Monica Bissmeyer, University of Tulsa 7. Olubanke M. Agunloye, Cornell University 7. Sidney Shea, Tulane University 7. Teresa Montanero, Georgetown University 8. Arthur "Trey" Carlisle, Soka University of America 9. Micol Striuli, Providence College 10. Reilly Gabel, Colorado University of Boulder 10. Maddy Kim, Pomona College
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koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia
Khon Kaen, Thailand
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SEEKING ASYLUM: A JOURNEY OF MENTAL HEALTH Anja Minninger
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IF YOU WANT TO LEARN TO DANCE WATCH THE WOMEN Arthur "Trey" Carlisle
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LEGALIZED TO PROTECT MEN: IS LEGAL SEX WORK GOOD FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH?
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BENEATH GRAY CLOUDS Micol Striuli
Gabrielle Hoessly
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SELF LOVE FOR BLACK WOMEN: LEARNING TO LOVE OUR HAIR Amber Montalvo
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REINFORCEMENT OF KOREAN BEAUTY STANDARDS
Reilly Gabel
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TWO THOUSAND BODIES: THE CRISIS AT WAT PHAI NGERN
Monica Bissmeyer
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WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN WOMEN'S HEALTH TODAY? Sidney Shea
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A HEALTHY STATE OF MIND Olubanke Agunloye
INQUISITION AND OWNERSHIP: THE FIGHT FOR FEMALE AGENCY IN ARGENTINA
Apoorva Mangipudi and Ava Rosato
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THE HEART AND SOUL OF SEOUL: PASTOR LEE AND THE BABY DROP BOX Maddy Kim
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WOMEN ARE SPECTACULAR Azura FairChild
WOMEN'S HEALTH CROSSWORD Teresa Montanero
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CALL ME BY MY NAME Rebecca Duran
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Photo by Gabrielle Hoessley
Legalized to Protect Men: IS LEGAL SEX WORK GOOD FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH?
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[1] Homaifar and Wasik, "Interviews with Senegalese Commercial Sex Trade Workers and Implications for Social Programming," 2005. [2] Laurent et al. "Prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and risk behaviours in unregistered sex workers in Dakar, Senegal," 2003. [3] Scorgie et al. "Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Behavioral Risk Factors of Female Sex Workers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review," 2012. [4] Foley. "Regulating sex work: subjectivity and stigma in Senegal," 2017.
All photos by Gabrielle Hoessley
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SELF LOVE: FOR BLACK WOMEN Learning to Love Our Hair
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I PROPOSE A LIST OF SOLUTIONS CALLED
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DEFEND YOUR HAIR FROM THE HATERS
LOVE ME NATURAL: SEEK OUR BLACK BEAUTY GURUS
COMPLIMENT THE WHOLE PERSON WHEN COMPLIMENTING A SISTER'S HAIR
EMBRACE THE FRIZZ
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TWO THOUSAND BODIES: THE CRISIS AT WAT PHAI NGERN Monica Bissmeyer, Khon Kaen, Thailand Despite its controversial connotation, empathy dictates that illegal abortion is disastrous, destructive, and heart-wrenching at its core. Thailand, like many countries, is all too familiar with its existence. The face of illegal abortion has manifested itself in young Thai women who have been known to drink poisonous concoctions of aspirin and vodka in an attempt to terminate a pregnancy, ask male acquaintances to kick them in the stomach until the child inside them perishes, undergo excruciating and dangerous “coat hanger” abortions, and other similarly horrific and scarring procedures, many of which can lead to death.[1] These scenarios are both appalling and heartbreaking; the thought alone can make the stomach churn and incite an emotional wall of sorrow at the blatant disregard to the value of human life, both of mother and child. Yet it can still be hard to grasp the magnitude of such a crisis. As these operations are typically done under the table, accurate statistics that describe the prevalence of illegal abortions do not exist. While this topic is becoming more widely discussed and studied, the enormity of this tragedy was difficult for me to grasp until learning about one specific instance that put it into perspective, an event that will live in infamy: the discovery of 2,002 plastic-wrapped illegally aborted fetuses found hidden under a temple in the heart of Thailand.
In 2010 in the city of Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, a multitude of complaints about an unbearable stench rising from underneath a temple alerted the Thai police to a dark buried secret. Soon to be discovered, the smell was a result of 2,002 infant bodies wrapped in plastic bags rotting under the earth. For up to four years the bodies of illegally aborted fetuses had been accumulating under Wat Phai Ngern (Phai Ngern Temple) in the mortuary, brought there by a woman who had been performing illegal and unsafe abortions.[2] She confessed to delivering the dead fetuses to the temple and charging up to 30,000 baht (about 1000 USD) per procedure and 500 baht (about 16 USD) per delivery of each body.[3] To describe the ineffectiveness and safety concerns associated with these procedures, one reporter described how the woman accused ended up raising eight of the children who actually survived the attempted abortion.[4] Two additional Thai citizens employed by the temple were arrested after confessing to storing the bodies and being paid 200 baht (about 7 USD) by illegal abortion clinics to dispose of each body as to disguise the cause of
[1] Sansanee Chanthasukh, "Contraceptive Decisions of Thai Adolescents, "2019, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318574360_Influencing_Factors_towards_Thai_Adolescents'_ Decision_Making_on_Contraceptive_Use_Preliminary_Results. [2] Kocha Olarn, "Police Recover 2,002 Illegally Aborted Fetuses in Thailand," CNN, November 19, 2010, http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/19/thailand.fetuses.found/index.html. [3] NBC News, "2,000 Fetuses Discovered at Bangkok Temple," NBCNews.com, November 19, 2010, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/40269486/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/t/fetuses-discovered-bangkoktemple/#.XLmlC-gzbBV. [4] Seth Mydans, "Thai Police Find 2,000 Illegally Aborted Fetuses," The New York Times, November 19, 2010, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/world/asia/20bangkok.html.
Photo by: Wang Zemin for NPR
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death.[5] They revealed that though they would usually cremate the dead, the temple's crematorium had ceased to function at the time. This break down of machinery led to the buildup of smell, and though one of the men discussed trying to cover the smell with other substances, even gasoline could not cover up the stench of death.[6] I found myself moved to tears upon studying this event, both for the mortality bestowed upon countless children and for the suffering faced by each women who underwent such a procedure, of which, if statistics hold true, at least one died (based on a statistical analysis of 20 maternal deaths per 100,000 caused by illegal abortions in Southeast Asia)[7], and more of which likely faced long-term pain and complications. It is a cruel world that succumbs some of the most potentially vulnerable populations, women and children, to such a degraded state. Rightly so, this discovery led to a public outcry. How could it not? The country was faced with confronting at least 2,000 deceased children and the associated harmful effects upon women as a result of illegal abortion. This was only in one city, one temple, one event - speaking to the grand scale of the issue in the nation. Inarguably, this calamity needed to be addressed. In its wake, the Wat Phai Ngern tragedy led to a call for harsher regulations against illegal abortion. For those who support women, their value, and their humanity, it is crucial to encourage this need for crackdown on clinics that perform such procedures. These institutions are often built upon money-making endeavors, capitalizing on women and the life inside
"The country was faced with confronting at least 2,000 deceased children and the associated harmful effects upon women as a result of illegal abortion."
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them on some of their most vulnerable days. While legal abortion costs in Thailand range from 7,700 baht ($250 USD) for a surgical abortion to 15,000 baht ($475 USD) for a medical abortion, [8] costs for illegal procedures soar as high as 30,000 baht ($1000 USD) such as was the case in the Wat Phai Ngern occurrence. This is more than double the cost, and for what - for a young woman to undergo an often excruciating, traumatic, and potentially deadly procedure. Between 4.7% - 13.2% of maternal deaths worldwide are a result of unsafe abortions.[9] Additional risks associated with illegal abortions include incomplete abortion, hemorrhaging, infection, uterine perforation, and damage and destruction to the genital tract and other internal organs.[10] Illegal abortion truly is synonymous to devastation. In addition to the call for stricter regulations against illegal abortion, many also raised questions about the narrow state of abortion laws in Thailand. Thailand’s current laws dictate that abortion is legal, but under the following conditions: an abortion can be had in the first trimester under the supervision of a physician in the case of rape or if the health of the mother or child is of concern. The health of the mother has recently come to include mental health, including emotional distress due to concerns with the ability to raise the child, such as financial instability.[10] These regulations exist under Buddhist principles, the religion followed by 94% of the population, that describe the start of life as beginning [5] Daily Mail Reporter, "Thai Police Discover over 2,000 Foetuses in Buddhist Temple," Daily Mail Online, November 20, 2010, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1331351/Thai-police-discover-2000-foetuses-Buddhist-temple.html. [6] Seth Mydans, "Thai Police Find 2,000 Illegally Aborted Fetuses," The New York Times, November 19, 2010, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/world/asia/20bangkok.html. [7] WHO, "Unsafe Abortion Incidence and Mortality," 2008, , https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/75173/WHO_RHR_12.01_eng.pdf;jsessionid=FEA357EB 7CC4DF266284C76F7D7D7722?sequence=1 [8] Alice Teacake, "What To Do When You Need To Get An Abortion In Asia 2018," Teacake Travels, January 03, 2019, , https://www.teacaketravels.com/pregnant-where-can-i-get-an-abortion-in-asia/. [9] Teeranai Charuvastra, "Abortion in Thailand: More Safe and Legal Than You May Have Thought," Khaosod English, March 05, 2017, , http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2017/03/03/abortion-thailandsafe-legal-may-thought/. [10] Obos Abortion Contributors, "The Impact of Illegal Abortion," Our Bodies Ourselves, March 23, 2010, , https://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book-excerpts/health-article/impact-of-illegal-abortion/
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Photo by: Monica Bissmeyer
after fertilization. While access to safe and legal abortions have fewer negative physical side effects than those performed illegally, I believe rather that interventions to target the reduction of unwanted pregnancies and abortion altogether would best benefit the women of Thailand, the infants inside of them, and the resulting value of human life. Even performed legally, the potential negative side effects of abortion against women exist both mentally, physically, and emotionally, and are often overlooked or ignored. A multitude of studies exist that show increased suicide and depression risks for women who have undergone an abortion. An American study reported a 2.6 greater suicide rate in women who had an abortion[11] just as a Wales study also found a 3.25 increased suicide rate in this population.[12] Similarly, a Scandinavian study showed a 6 times greater suicide risk, comparing a suicide rate of 5.0 per 1000 women who delivered babies to a rate of 31.9 per 1000 women who aborted.[13] Another study reported induced abortion as a significant risk factor for “mood disorders substantial enough to provoke attempts of self-harm”.[14] Additionally, a neutral New Zealand study reported a positive
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correlation between women who underwent an induced abortion and a high prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and drug dependence.[15] In a world where mental illness runs rampant but is still largely neglected, would it not be better to avoid such additional potential risks? Furthermore, in regard to physical health, many studies have shown that subsequent pregnancies after an induced abortion are much more likely to result in a significantly preterm birth,[16] a greater likelihood for placenta previa,[17] a higher risk of miscarriage, [18] and for future offspring, the likelihood of developing cerebral palsy is 38 times greater than among the general population.[19] For the sake of women, their children, and their reproductive rights, why not aim to eliminate these detrimental effects altogether? To instead focus effort, commitment, and resources towards sexual and contraceptive education, availability of counseling and support, reformation to the adoption process in Thailand, and the destigmatization of women in accessing such resources, would be to promote healthcare that best encourages, supports, and affirms women. Women’s health is a complicated topic to address, full of controversy, depth, triumph, and identity, but also full of struggle and calamity, as seen in the tiny lifeless forms hidden beneath plastic bags in Bangkok, and the scarred women they left behind. For the sake of women and children in Thailand, for women and children around the world, I hope for a future where women are empowered, emboldened, educated, and emotionally full in their health and every aspect of their life, both for themselves and their potential posterity. [11] Mika Gissler et al., "Injury Deaths, Suicides and Homicides Associated with Pregnancy, Finland 1987–2000," European Journal of Public Health 15, no. 5 (2005): , doi:10.1093/eurpub/cki042. [12] C. L. Morgan, M. Evans, and J. R. Peters, "Suicides after Pregnancy. Mental Health May Deteriorate as a Direct Effect of Induced Abortion.," British Medical Journal 314, no. 7084 (1997): , https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2126260/. [13] D. C. Reardon, "Depression and Unintended Pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: A Cohort Study," British Medical Journal 324, no. 7330 (2002): , doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7330.151. [14] John M. Thorp, Katherine E. Hartmann, and Elizabeth Shadigian, "Long-Term Physical and Psychological Health Consequences of Induced Abortion: Review of the Evidence," Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey 58, no. 1 (2003): , doi:10.1097/00006254-200301000-00023. [15] D. M. Fergusson, L. J. Horwood, and E. M. Ridder, "Abortion in Young Women and Subsequent Mental Health.," Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 47, no. 1 (2006): , doi:10.1111/j.14697610.2005.01538.x. [16] Caroline Moreau et al., "Previous Induced Abortions and the Risk of Very Preterm Delivery: Results of the EPIPAGE Study," BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 112, no. 4 (2005): , doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00478.x. [17] T. H. Hung et al., "Risk Factors for Placenta Previa in an Asian Population.," International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 97, no. 1 (2005): , https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17316644/. [18] Rapaport, 2015 [19] B. Rooney and B. C. Calhoun, M.D., "Induced Abortion and Risk of Later Premature Births.," Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons 8, no. 2 (2003): , http://jpands.orgwww.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf.
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A HEALTHY STATE OF MIND OLUBANKE AGUNLOYE, KHON KAEN, THAILAND
“I'm in a good state of mind when my head is clear of school work and other responsibilities”
“I’m in a good state of mind when I have time for working out and other leisure activities”
- Namtarn
- Jinda
"I'm in a good state of mind when I’m spending time with my daughter" -Mea A
“Im a good state of mind when I’m playing with my cat”
“I’m in a good state of mind when people speak to me with kind words” -Prem
“I'm in a good state of mind when I travel with my family” - Mea Prayoon
- Jumriang
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INQUISITION AND OWNERSHIP: THE FIGHT FOR FEMALE AGENCY Apoorva Mangipudi and Ava Rosato IN ARGENTINA Buenos Aires, Argentina In Argentina today, abortion is illegal. Pro-choice advocates are fighting to change current legislation in order to decriminalize and offer safe and free abortion. As the debate surrounding the decriminalization of abortion grows and materializes in Argentina, it is vital to acknowledge the increasingly prevalent history of women’s sovereignty over their own bodies. The controversy surrounding women’s reproductive health stems from an antiquated tension between the agency of women and the power of the Catholic Church. From the 15th to 17th century, the tale of women in the New World was largely defined by the burning and killing of women who were denounced as “witches” for having a seemingly uncomfortable amount of power and control. As women began to gain more skills, they were able to steadily lessen the patriarchal grip that permanently controlled their role in society. Eventually, the patriarchy itself – the Catholic Church – felt the need to fight against this newfound agency. By employing the strategic tactic of associating independent women with the Devil and his malicious magic, the Church was able to convince its society that these “witches” were to be killed for such sins, and continue their patriarchal control over women. The extent of this control ran deep enough to convince some women to persecute others who were accused,
provoking the “women against women” phenomenon that continues to plague politics today, especially in the realm of abortion. As the persecutions continued, women were more inclined to subject other women to torture in order to prove that they themselves were not witches. This self-perpetuation of the harming of women by women is a large aspect of the abortion discussion today. As we explore the narratives of all sides of this subject, we find that many of the voices protesting abortion are women, using their own decisions about their reproductive future to argue for criminalizing abortion. Their logic is founded on the belief that since they themselves would never partake in such a procedure, it should therefore be criminalized for all women. Their participation in the persecution of women undergoing abortions, according to an activist in the abortion movement here Buenos Aires, is deeply rooted in a similar logic that led the women of the past to persecute so-called “witches". While the persecution of women’s bodies can be traced back to the 15th century Spanish Inquisition and its witch trials, we have certainly not escaped this question of control today. Argentine women are forced to confront a State that sees them as commodities to be controlled. Any woman with the audacity to want a career for herself instead of a child is labelled a "mala madre" ("bad mother") and is denounced by the state for straying from her traditional social
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must face unwanted pregnancies. The only state-recognized exceptions are if the pregnancy was the result of rape, if the pregnant woman’s life is in danger, or if the pregnant woman was mentally disabled.
role as a caretaker. This prototype is reinforced by the structures of capitalism, where women are meant to succumb to the role of raising the next generation of consumers within a male-dominated economy. In the eyes of the State, “mala madres” claiming the right to an abortion are the equivalent of 15th century “witches” claiming to be innocent. Both are stripped of any sense of personal autonomy over their lives and their bodies, and are left to find alternative solutions if they wish to assert agency in spite of their statecontrolled fate. In respect to abortion in Argentina today, approximately 500,000 abortions, representing roughly 40% of all pregnancies, occur illegally every year. To proceed with a clandestine abortion in Argentina is to risk your life in unsafe and under-resourced medical conditions that most likely take place inside a home. Moreover, only women able to afford a clandestine abortion and pay medical practitioners to risk their license can do so. Others who cannot afford the service
Such a narrow law has spurred huge resistance among women and feminists in Argentina today. During street demonstrations, many gather while wearing a green pañuelo (bandana) in order to symbolize a pro-abortion solidarity and overall resistance to the current legislation. The green pañuelo has become a symbol of the movement and advocates for law that will first decriminalize abortion and later legalize its practice altogether. It originates from the 1986 National Women’s Meeting (Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres) where the organizing committee chose the color
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green for its widespread availability in wardrobes regardless of class. The National Women’s Meeting takes place annually and has become a staple of the proabortion movement, among others involving women’s rights such as the Ni Una Menos movement that seeks to end femicide and violence against women at the hands of machismo. The National Women’s Meeting began in 1986 with around 1,000 attendees and has grown enormously to see an average of 50,000 attendees each October. The conference is held in a different city in Argentina every year and attendees participate in workshops that grapple with the most pressing issues for women today, abortion being one among many others including sexual exploitation, sexual education, and mental health.
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Instances of growing resistance, such as the National Women’s Meeting, are actively putting pressure on the Argentine government to confront the issues that plague women in today’s society. This pressure certainly threatens the capitalist structures that have controlled women’s bodies since the Spanish Inquisition and are absolutely necessary if Argentina is to dismantle the systematic oppression of women and allow them personal agency over their own bodies. Breaking these structures will allow for a more liberated woman and Argentina alike, where women are incentivized to seek education and a career with or without the intention of raising a family.
All Photos by Apoorva Mangipudi and Ava Rosato Special thanks to trans-inclusionary feminist Zafira Luna Tsuki Aliwen and anthropologist Josefina Klas for their contributions to this article.
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The Heart and Soul of Seoul PASTOR LEE AND THE BABY DROP BOX
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WOMEN are
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“When it comes to reproductive rights for women, I stand with every woman who makes a decision for her body.”
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8 Letters... For the small, sensitive... A Women's Health Crossword Oh! Down 2. Stimulation of one’s own genitals for sexual arousal or pleasure 3. A combination of aesthetic qualities that pleases the senses 4. Localized inflammation of the skin caused by overactivity of oil glands 5. The learned behavior seen as appropriate to their gender, determined by prevailing cultural norms 8. The ceasing of menstruation 9. Inability to conceive children
Across 1. The advocacy of Women’s Rights on the basis of equality of the sexes 6. A narrow passage forming the lower end of the uterus 7. The process of discharging blood from the uterine lining 10. Changing one’s gender presentation and/or sex characteristics to accord with one’s internal sense of gender identity 11. The organ in which offspring are conceived and in which they gestate before birth 12. Attitudes and opinions of oneself and their abilities 13. A small, sensitive, erectile part of the female genitals at the anterior end of the vulva
Solutions: 1. Feminism 2. Masturbation 3. Beauty 4. Acne 5. Gender Roles 6. Cervix 7. Menstruation 8. Menopause 9. Infertility 10. Transitioning 11. Uterus 12. Self-Esteem 13. Clitoris
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Seeking Asylum: A Journey of Mental Health Anja Minninger
Haifa, Israel
TEL AVIV - As in most countries, there are some complicated challenges that face the government and people of the young State of Israel. One of the difficult issues involves managing the large refugee population that came in waves to Israel from African countries. In places such as Sudan and Eritrea, there are horrible conflicts that are forcing families to split apart and seek asylum in other countries. While the Israeli government attempts to organize a solution for the refugee crisis, there are many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have been formed in an effort to aid the refugees, who after treacherous journeys filled with harsh physical conditions and violence, have found themselves seeking asylum in Israel. As a student at the University of Haifa, I had the opportunity to visit some of these NGOs during a trip to South Tel Aviv, an area that has become a home for many African refugees. During this trip, I learned about the refugee experience in Israel and the challenges that are faced by these men and women, particularly the issue of women’s mental health in the refugee community.
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I visited these NGOs with a psychology class that taught on the topic of refugee mental health. We visited an Eritrean Women’s Center and a non-profit business that provides single refugee women with jobs and an income. Both of these organizations provide refugee women with valuable resources like shelter, money, and a less tangible but equally important resource of support and counseling. Many refugee women are single mothers due to the wars in their home country, the dangerous journey that led them to Israel, domestic violence issues, and other factors. We spoke to some Eritrean woman and heard their stories of hardship. It is no wonder that even the most resilient woman would require counseling to deal with the circumstances that she has been faced with. These women are being forced to leave their villages in Africa and embark on long journeys that almost always involve starvation, dehydration, human trafficking, assault, and other human rights violations. Some Israeli psychologists have shifted their attention to helping treat the mental illnesses that naturally follow these harrowing events.
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Psychologists have found that one of the most common mental illnesses facing refugee women is post-traumatic stress disorder, a complicated illness that only becomes more complicated considering the cultural barriers present in a foreign country. Many of these women have never been in contact with any kind of western medicine, much less psychologists, so many treatments that would be used in Israel, or the US, would not be beneficial.Â
Therefore, psychologists have learned more by getting to know the people affected by the refugee crisis and have adjusted their treatments accordingly. They now know that using a more communitybased approach is often more effective than attempting to separately treat the women who have formed communities here. Many of the Eritrean women seeking asylum in Israel have been able to combat mental illness by simply feeling supported by friends, growing to understand the reality of mental illness, learning that there is nothing wrong with them, and finding hope in the future because it is possible for them to heal. Although the refugee crisis persists all over the world, it is great to learn that in Israel both citizens and asylum seekers are doing their best to help each other heal.
"IT IS NO WONDER THAT EVEN THE MOST RESILIENT WOMAN WOULD REQUIRE COUNSELING TO DEAL WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SHE HAS BEEN FACED WITH".
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"If You Want to Learn How to Dance, Watch the Women"
The Role of Women and Community-Building in Using Music and Dance to Promote Cross-Cultural Understanding Arthur "Trey" Carlisle Nanjing, China “
” Can I participate? This is the question I asked the sweet old Chinese women line dancing outside my Air B&B courtyard in Xi’An. From the moment I first arrived in China for my study abroad program, I have seen old and middle aged women each night, blasting music in public squares and line dancing with each other like there is no tomorrow. I always wanted to join them, but never had the courage to do so. “ ” said a woman with a big smile, who was watching her peers dance the night away. So there I was, clumsily struggling to follow the graceful hand movements and quick footsteps of the women. Their faces lit up like candles as they observed my attempts to follow their movements. After two songs, I caught on quickly. Our feet moved in synchrony as we did a dance which reminded me of the “Electric Slide,” a “line dance popular at every black family reunion (or at least, every one of my family’s). The dancing women or “Dama’s” as they are commonly called (Dancing Mama’s), smiled and applauded saying... “ ! You learned the dance really fast! Do you dance in your hometown? ” ” Yes, I replied. “ Hip Hop ” I do Hip Hop Dance
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With eyes brighter than the street lights around us, they asked me to show them. Immediately, I was off, bouncing and rocking with my new “Dama” friends, teaching them hip hop social dances. Children playing in the park ran up to watch. Old men came by, filming the exchange on their phones. Mothers came by to ask me where do I teach. It was a strange, fun, beautiful sight; a 20 year old Black American man, dancing with old Chinese women and children! As we all danced, laughed, talked with each other, I felt two powerful sensations... ...two sensations which led me to first fall in love with dance... ....two sensations which inspired me to study abroad in China... ...two sensations which inspired my mission to use music and dance to promote cross cultural communication... ...Connection and Community! I am passionate about combating prejudice, and promoting understanding and peace between people of different backgrounds. Throughout middle and high school, I was disgusted by the countless injustices and horrors throughout history resulting from dehumanization of groups based on their differences (race, religion, nationality, etc.)
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As a young black man in the U.S., I’ve known the dangers of prejudice and dehumanization firsthand. When I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a holocaust survivor as part of a documentary filmmaking program, she showed me the number tattooed on her arm by the Nazis, and said “You teens must carry the torch, and make sure nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again!” As a result, it became my mission to combat dehumanization, and promote cross cultural communication and understanding! A key avenue through which I have chosen to pursue this mission is through music and dance. Throughout human history, and in every part of the globe, all human beings practice some form of music and dance. Musicking (the act of engaging in music and dance) is a practice among humans that is as universal as eating and sleeping. Although there is continued debate among scholars regarding why humans engage in musicking, a popular theory centers around music's ability to create bonds and a sense of community between people. Some believe music developed as a technology among early humans because its community-building power helped humans live in social groups, which was essential in order to help humans to survive the dangers of their environment. I have personally seen within Hip Hop and African American culture, the power of music and dance to build community and connection.
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From the era of American Slavery to the present, African Americans have used music and dance as a means to express themselves, bond with each other, and maintain a sense of community, joy, and freedom, in the midst of oppression. In addition, at the hip hop battles, parties, and classes I’ve attended throughout the years, I’ve seen people from all over Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S., all together in the same room for one common purpose - dance. Without knowledge of a common language, through movement and musicking, we can emotionally communicate, bond, and connect with each other. I have personally seen within Hip Hop and African American culture, the power of music and dance to build community and connection. From the era of American Slavery to the present, African Americans have used music and dance as a means to express themselves, bond with each other, and maintain a sense of community, joy, and freedom, in the midst of oppression. In addition, at the hip hop battles, parties, and classes I’ve attended throughout the years, I’ve seen people from all over Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S., all together in the same room for one common purpose - dance. Without knowledge of a common language, through movement and musicking, we can emotionally communicate, bond, and connect with each other.
WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF A COMMON LANGUAGE, THROUGH MOVEMENT AND MUSICKING, WE CAN EMOTIONALLY COMMUNICATE, BOND, AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER.
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It is this bonding power which led me to fall in love with music and dance in the first place. It is this power of musicking which inspired me to explore how music and dance can be used to promote cross-cultural understanding. Consequently, this year, when I had the opportunity to study abroad in Nanjing, China, I knew I wanted to find and create spaces where I could not only make music and dance with Chinese people, but (through shared musicking) establish bonds, friendships, and connections that could lead into meaningful dialogue and understanding. A month into my study abroad program, I started teaching public hip hop dance workshops at the Nanjing University community Track Field. With the recommendation of my Study Abroad Program Director, I chose to facilitate the workshops in collaboration with a public Zumba class, which takes place at the track field every Wednesday and Sunday. In addition, in the effort to learn more about Chinese dance culture, I chose to participate in a group of “Dama’s’” evening line dance sessions. The meaningful observations and lessons I took away from the participants and the atmosphere of these dance gatherings left profound insights in regards to how to use musicking to promote cross cultural communication, as well as how to promote understanding and health in our societies.
The first thing that stuck out to me was the type of participants in these dance workshops... they were mainly women! When I looked out at the sea of participants in the Hip Hop Dance and Zumba workshops, 75% of the participants were middle aged to elderly women. This was even more so the case in the Dama’s line dancing sessions. Every night, older women would gather at public parks, squares, or even big street corners, and dance to their blasting music. I was fascinated by how much their gatherings seemed to mimic those of young African American and Latino youth during Hip Hop’s inception. However, instead of young Black and Latino men gathering in public spaces to dance, it was old Chinese women, completely opposite demographics. What struck me most about the Zumba and line dance workshops was the communal atmosphere that filled these spaces. All types of people from the community would come together, doing social steps that everyone knew, and bonding with each other through common movement, in a fun, social environment. Particularly in the Zumba classes, people of all ages and lifestyles would commune together to dance.
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These workshops left me in awe as they taught me three important lessons: first, they reminded me of the importance of community in dance. Over time, as dance styles have become more popular and commercialized (especially in the case of street dances like hip hop), the communal and conversational aspect of dancing has been forgotten. As TV studio-dance classes, choreography videos, international dance battles, and TV dance competitions have become the new craze, dancing is now seen as an individual skill (a source of social capital) that can be used to gain employment and win competitions. In some cases, people may become intimidated by dancing, because they have the false belief they have to be “good” or a “professional” in order to dance. In reality, many of the world’s most popular dance styles (especially street dance styles) are social activities, originating in social gatherings. All of the dance styles from the Afro and Latino diaspora, originated in parties, religious gatherings, bars, and family socials. Whether they were doing the Juba Dance during Slavery, the Charleston during the 1920s, or Hip Hop from the 80's onward, musicking and dance provided an outlet for people, like African Americans, to come together, bond, and collectively have fun. It was this same collective energy that I witnessed in these dance workshops in China. Secondly, these workshops revealed to me how essential bonding and community is in enabling cross-cultural communication. In these workshops, people across various age groups, walks of life, and nationalities, all came together to dance, not for the purpose of competing and battling, but for socializing and having fun. The workshops were spaces where anyone, regardless of age, background, or skill level in dance, could come and participate. This open, communal, atmosphere made people feel welcome to come to the same space. Through collectively moving along to the same song, everyone within this diverse collage of people developed a sense of connection with each other regardless of the language they spoke. This phenomena revealed to me the importance of establishing a communal and open atmosphere in order to use facilitate cross cultural communication. When people from diverse backgrounds all feel welcome to participate, a space is created for people to collectively bond, and consequently, engage in cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.
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Finally, these dance sessions in China reminded me of the role women play in promoting this communal environment. Within breaking/b-boy culture, the oldest of the two forms of hip hop dance, a majority of the dancers are young men, and the atmosphere is aggressive and competitive. Because the youth who built hip hop culture came from poor, violent, and forgotten communities, having an aggressive and tough demeanor was essential for survival, and consequently permeated its way into much b-boy culture, and hip hop as a whole. However, breaking legend and pioneer Stefan “Mr. Wigglez” Clemente, told me “If you want to learn how to dance, watch the women.” Mr. Wigglez was communicating how many of the moves and culture that is foundational in breaking, came from Black and Latino social dances. In these dance social dance spaces, the focus wasn’t on competition as much as it was on socializing, connecting to the music and with each other. Furthermore, women were, and continue to be, exceptional in embodying this culture of connection and expression, physically in their body movements, and in their demeanor. Rather than displaying aggression and competition, women personified the joy of connection, socialization, and community, the true essence of dance. This is why many dance pioneers like Mr. Wigglez and Moncell “Ill Kozby” Durden, emphasize how people need to get back to the “partying” and “social” element of dancing.
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Observing the multitude of women participating the Zumba classes and line dance sessions reminded me of how women not only create a culture of community in dance, but in society in general. Women help keep our families, communities, and societies together. Whether it’s in our homes, in the workforce, in our schools, or in our communities, many of the women in our lives bring a focus of collaboration, community, and nurturing, that maintain the health of our societies. Throughout African American history, women played an essential role in maintaining the strength of our community, and fighting for our civil and human rights. It is women’s focus on community and collaboration that not only constitute the success of the dance workshops I attended in China, but of the health and prosperity of our societies as a whole! It has been a great honor to dance and engage in musicking with the multitude of women I’ve met in China. Participating in these dance sessions revealed to me the importance of promoting connection and community, in order to enable cross-cultural communication. Furthermore, as I reflect on the value of community that women bring to the dance sessions, and to our society in general, it seems clear how greatly women’s health and treatment is intertwined with the health of our communities. As I dance in the afternoon glow with the ocean of people at the Zumba workshops, or in the evening breeze with all of the “Dama’s,” I feel grateful to be in such a magical space. Although many of us dancers come from different parts of the world, and different parts of life, we share a bond and connection that increasing grows every time we meet. Now I realize that it is not just dance and music that enables this bond, but it is the atmosphere of community which brings these spaces to life, which the women in these sessions so powerfully demonstrate!
"When people from diverse backgrounds all feel welcome to participate, a space is created for people to collectively bond, and consequently, engage in crosscultural communication."
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Beneath Gray Clouds Observations of Mental Health Among Shanghai Youth Micol Striuli, Shanghai, China
The city casts it nightly orange glow the overcast skies masking the sorrow below I often look to the ubiquitous gray sky searching for that opening of blue, any reminder that tomorrow will be new hoping one day the sky will blossom with a sun-drenched, permanent, wholesome blue. Half-way through Antonioni’s “Il deserto rosso,” she turns to me and asks:
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Middle school students on university campus - Photo by Micol Striuli
It is one of the film’s most pivotal scenes: Monica Vitti’s character is hysterical and tells her lover about her days spent in a psychiatric asylum for thoughts of suicide. I pause and look at my friend to make sure I’ve heard her right. Did she really just ask me if I have ever wanted to kill myself? I hesitate to tell her the truth, to reveal the darkest of thoughts at the inception of our friendship. My initial reaction is to think defensively, what is it her business to know? ****** I am an international student spending my semester in one of the most prestigious universities in Shanghai. As I continue to adjust to living in a new environment, I continually feel the weight of my Chinese peers around me. I can feel their anxieties, see their strong workethic, and am able to commiserate over the long days and nights spent studying. While I admire their dedication to their studies, I can’t help but feel a sense of sympathy. A perpetual tension lingers on campus like the gray clouds that usually hang over Shanghai – the tension of tired students, heavy backpacks, and the atmospheric pressure to keep up in one of the world’s biggest and fastest growing cities. According to a 2012 study by The Lancet, roughly 173 million Chinese people suffer from a mental health disorder, of which a mere 15 million sought treatment. In other words, over 90 percent of the affected population, 158 million people, did not seek or receive any professional help. According to a WHO report, the recognition rate of global
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Students on campus walking by statue of Mao - Photo by Micol Striuli
mental disorders is around 50%, and the recognition rate in China is far below the world average. Taking depression as an example, the recognition rate of depression was only 21% in Shanghai. Coming from a multiracial Southeast Asian background, some of the attitudes surrounding mental health in China are all too familiar: the stigmatization, the prioritization of academics over individual sanity, the pressure of saving face, the blatant ignorance. The initial transition to a country whose academic environment is filled with the pressure to succeed, I felt the weight of my grandmother, my mother, and my own expectations: Do well and make us proud. This is why the conversation with my friend at the climax of “Il deserto rosso” struck a chord with me. I was startled by her nonchalant delivery, the quick and pointed nature of asking, and the dare I say, nearly apathetic tone in her voice. Perhaps this conversation with my friend was an omen for the continuation of casual suicide-related conversations in the days that would follow. In my Chinese course, we began to study the Chinese educational system. We studied the effects of China’s immense population growth and its contribution to academic competition. Children as young as 3 can begin early education programs, and most children starting in elementary school are involved in extensive extracurricular courses in addition to their already arduous schooldays. May I also add that many of these children have no choice in their extracurricular courses or enrollment in tutoring courses – parents do what they claim to see as best for the children,
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many times at the expense of their children’s’ resources and service capacity. The per capita mental health and personal interests. Much of investment from the Chinese government for this pressure also stems from one of the most psychiatric hospitals is about $1.07 USD, which is fundamental sources of pressure among Chinese far lower than the $35.06 USD in high-income students: the dreaded gaokao. countries during the same period (WHO). In China, The gaokao is a college entrance exam that for every 100,000 people there are fewer than two is taken by all prospective Chinese college psychiatrists, a stark contrast to the US, where students. It comprises of two days of written there are 12 to serve the same number of exams covering Chinese literature, English, individuals. Moreover, the distribution of China's math, science, and history. It can only be taken mental health resources is unbalanced, with the once a year and takes basically a whole young most hospitals and professionals concentrated in person’s lifetime of preparation. It is viewed by provincial capitals and developed eastern regions. its proponents as a way to regulate placements It is indicated that 47.21% of institutions, 42.06% of in higher education and the work force, psychiatric beds, 48.65% of physicians and 45.25% especially in a country that frequently uses the of nurses are located in 11 eastern provinces, excuse: There are just too many people. For including Shanghai (Que, Lu, and Shi). As the people that live in the countryside or secondCommunist Party continues its market liberalization, tier cities, or are working class, a good gaokao it continues to face the challenges of the youth’s score offers the opportunity for social mobility. psychological pressures in an ever-increasing Gaokao is extremely influential to one’s place in competitive and capitalist society. The Chinese society as it determines college and career placement. However, the immense power contemporary changes in China’s economic and political structures have become some of the most and pressure that one test can hold over a pressing issues in Chinese society and presents the young person’s life, coupled with other cultural need to reevaluate mental health care. aspects, sometimes has fatal results. According I now know the voice of my friend wasn’t one of to China's Center for Disease Control and apathy or unconcern - I hear it now as the voice of Prevention, suicide is the top cause of death cold and unjust normalization. My friend is just one among Chinese youth, with at least 500 school of countless students in China who suffers from a children killing themselves every year. In total, roughly 250,000 people commit suicide annually mental health disorder and has not been able to seek treatment due to lack of resources and in China, while another two million attempt to (Caskie). Suicides are a regular feature of every stigmatization. In her own words: if you go to see a psychologist, they will talk to you for 5 minutes exam season; a 2014 study claimed that exam stress was a contributing factor in 93% of cases before prescribing you some pills and sending you on your way. She says this is the primary reason in which school students took their own lives she has not seen a doctor, as the treatment that is (Ash). offered is usually impersonal and ineffective. For The contemporary pressures of academic me, this was one of the greatest paradoxes of success in Chinese society mostly stem from the Chinese society: the open, and albeit random, open market reforms of the late 70s and 80s. Until a few decades ago, Chinese people lived conversations about mental health, and the lack of in close-knit communities that prioritized the treatment. This was a paradox that at first role of family members, relatives, and neighbors confused me. I realize now the bluntness and to work as a support group. As China continues casualness of these short conversations acts as a to urbanization and liberalize, the traditional sort of catharsis, a way to speak out and to feel family structure has changed and weakened. validated when no one else will listen. Especially in the countryside, more and more References: young people are leaving their ancestral “Development and challenges of mental health in China”: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gpsych-2019-100053 WHO Report: http://www.wpro.who.int/china/topics/mental_health/1703mentalhealthfactsheet.pdf hometowns for cities in the quest for work and The Lancet, “Mental health in China: challenges and progress”: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60893and educational opportunities. This “Factors Associated with Depression among Chinese College Students”: DOI: 10.4172/2572-0791.1000136 “Tackling mental health in China: 'Isolation is the first killer'”: only exacerbates economic anxiety and http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Health__Wellness-Mind__Body/166131/Tackling-mental-health-inChina-Isolation-is-the-first-killer.html inequality as the generational divide between “Is China’s gaokao the world’s toughest school exam?”: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/12/gaokao-china-toughest-school-exam-in-world young and old people continues to grow. In “The rise of youth suicide in China”: https://theweek.com/articles/457373/rise-youth-suicide-china China, there is insufficient mental health
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Mandalay, Myanmar
Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia
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REINFORCEMENT OF KOREAN BEAUTY STANDARDS Reilly Gabel Seoul, South Korea
My first experience with K-pop started when I watched a music video for the boy group, BTS. I was first struck by the production quality, and then by the impressive choreography. I started to watch more and more K-pop music videos, eating up the aesthetically pleasing visuals and stunning performances. These aspects of Kpop are what drew me, enticed me, into the genre. For all the soft ballads, EDM, and rap that Korea had to offer, I still stayed devoted to the “idols”. In Korea, an “idol” is a title given to Korean musical artists “who acquire devoted fans from being signed under a mainstream entertainment company.” Their training regimen is long and intensive. Spending more than twelve hours a day on dance routines, performance rehearsals, vocal lessons, meetings, and evaluations (including weigh-ins) just for the chance to eventually “debut”. Many of them are still in high school or college. K-pop idol groups or units are separated by male and female. In simple terms, K-pop idols are the ultimate, internationally-appealing eye candy representing South Korea today. K-pop is one of the main reasons I wanted to travel to Korea. After switching my major from Molecular Biology to Asian Studies & Creative Writing and completing the beginner's tier of Korean language courses, I have now found myself where I want to be. I am finally in Seoul, South Korea, and one step closer to figuring out what "idols" are.
K-pop reveals many things about Korean society: hardworking ideals, the honorific system and its subsequent words, tough competitive spirit, and a standard of beauty. The latter was the first thing I noticed before and after arriving in South Korea. I was first introduced to the ideal standard for Korean beauty like everyone else from the Western side of the world. I watched countless hours of K-pop music videos, live streams, reality shows, and interviews. All the idols are slim and fit, have flawless skin, soft features, wide eyes, and a small nose. I just couldn’t get over how skinny they were. My mind became alight with so many questions. How and why are they so slim? Why are these things scrutinized? How do Koreans feel about it? I decided to ask a group of college-aged Korean women a series of questions about Korean beauty in relation to K-pop. My research brought me onto the campus of Yonsei University and online to help get me the answers to all my questions as to why we are drawn to these musical groups. What I found was interesting. The first question, "What is the most common beauty standard in Korea?" Each of the ten one-on-one interviews were provided a list of preconceived list of standards that was gathered from K-pop and various internet searches. All ten of them said, “slim figure.” It wasn't surprising to hear their answers because most parts of the world have the same ideal. When I asked what endorses these standards, I received mixed but similar answers.
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Four of the women said K-pop and advertising because “all the models/idols are very slim.” The other six reflect on Korean society by saying, “going on a diet is a hot topic among people,” “or “lots of people go on a beauty diet.” Apparently, every time a group of girls get together, they discuss dieting and weight loss. It’s that common here. One of the young women gave me an answer that got my attention. "Koreans tend to think that diet and having a good appearance are a part of self-care. If someone is fat, people think that person is lazy of given up on life." I asked if Korea is an "image-based society" and she nodded very quickly. My American friend, who sat next to me, summed it up pretty well: "When Americans see their reflection, they want to run away, or
These diets are often very restrictive, requiring less than a thousand calories a day, but the fans listen, and the diet gets the attention of any who desire to look just like said female idol. "People want to know about each other's diets, so they can look like each other. Lots of young people want to look like idols, so they want to follow the same diet. Everyone wants to fit in, not to stick out. You are considered weird if you stick out from the crowd.” Being from a country that values and holds individuality so highly, I felt a little bit sad to hear this. My fellow exchange students felt the same way, but the Korean women didn't find this troublesome at all. As I talked to more Koreans about this topic, the more I began to fully respect this aspect of Korean society. I guess you could say that South Korea’s standard on body image is individuality. Being body conscious was only part of what I wanted to know. “Do you ever compare yourself with K-pop idols, and feel the need to change yourself in order to look like them?” Four of them simply said “no.” Though they did enjoy music, they didn’t consider themselves as K-pop fans. They used words like “children” and “younger people” being the target audience for the K-pop genre. Since the interviewees are fairly young themselves, I asked if middle and high school students were mostly affected. They agreed while citing their own high school experiences. One woman told me of a friend spent over a million won (roughly 880 USD) on K-pop fashion, makeup, and merchandise. She said that many girls at that age “put on makeup to imitate idols.” From what she told me, K-pop doesn’t seem to affect self-image for college aged Korean, at least, not for all of them.
“WHEN AMERICANS SEE THEIR REFLECTION, THEY WANT TO RUN AWAY, OR IGNORE IT. IF KOREANS SEE THEIR REFLECTION, THEY STOP, CHECK THEIR HAIR, CHECK THEIR LIPSTICK, ADMIRE, AND CONTINUE WITH THEIR DAY.”
ignore it. If Koreans see their reflection, they stop, check their hair, check their lipstick, admire, and then continue with their day. I still couldn't understand though. Why do Koreans care so much about their image? Why do Koreans care more about their appearance in public, and Americans pay no mind? Granted, there are some similarities between the two countries. Americans still have many diets and similar body standards. However, American beauty has shifted to focus on positive body image and feeling “comfortable in your own body". There is less pressure to fit a standard, and more enthusiasm about self-confidence and selflove. That “self-care” may not include dieting, unlike the standard in Korea. Where does K-pop fit into all of this? Well, I’ve found that most Korean diets are associated with the beautiful and slim idols. You can type a popular female K-pop idol and then “diet” in a search engine to find videos of said idol talking about their eating habits.
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The rest of the group, it was either a yes or and merchandise. She said that many girls at sometimes with accompanied explanations that age “put on makeup to imitate idols.” From involving advertised beauty programs often what she told me, K-pop doesn’t seem to affect associated with idols. They feel compelled to self-image for college aged Korean, at least, not follow arduous beauty routines and diets because for all of them. “idols suggest that it is the only standard of The rest of the group, it was either a yes or beauty.” They try not to let it affect them, but it’s sometimes with accompanied explanations hard in a society that scrutinizes appearance. involving advertised beauty programs often Korean youth often feel pressure to be associated with idols. They feel compelled to successful in school, driven by competitive spirit follow arduous beauty routines and diets for the ultimate goal of respect and happiness in because “idols suggest that it is the only standard relationships. All these things are highly valued in of beauty.” They try not to let it affect them, but Korean society, and thus, fuels the desire to “look it’s hard in a society that scrutinizes appearance. the best.” If you look your best, then you are successful. Taking note of this difference, I asked a This, however, sounds very stressful to me. follow-up question: “Do you think idols have a Like Korean society, I too hold education and negative effect on the minds of young people?” relationships, often familial, at the top of my The answers were mixed, but nonetheless interesting. One woman believes that K-pop is personal values. the reason “people want to have slim figures and Therefore, I big eyes. It’s just a social phenomenon.” sacrifice certain Another woman stated, “people who don’t parts of my life to know K-pop like the girls who have the uphold those two ‘common beauty,’” or, in other words, the “nonvalues. That is idealized beauty.” She explains by saying, where our “people who don’t know K-pop still like the girl similarities end. with a pretty face.” In this way, she doesn’t Something I believe that K-pop has a negative effect on frequently sacrifice people because not everyone is a fan. They may is my appearance. know about it, but that doesn’t mean they are There are times involved in it. I don’t worry about my outfit, hair, or makeup On the contrary, one person believes that when I go to class, write essays, or finish readings, “idols can prevent young people from having especially since all of these things are timecertain beauty standards.” She suggests that the sensitive. I don’t care if I look like a “mess”, if I’m “K-pop idol look” is an unreasonably high getting work done, bathing daily and eating standard, wherein youth feel dissuaded in properly. I’d like to think many Americans share attempting to achieve it. This, however, has two this same feeling and embrace our “messiness connotations. days”. However, we sometimes use beauty or glamour to hide the fact that we are struggling. Struggling to figure out what the world is all about and where do we fit into it as the future. Something my friends and I often say is, “I’m a stressed-out ball of mess but at least my eyeliner is flawless.” I asked if middle and high school students were mostly affected. They agreed while citing their own high school experiences. One woman told me of a friend spent over a million won (roughly 880 USD) on K-pop fashion, make-up,
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Overall, I think my point is best summarized by the following quote: “I think people should know that idols are not the standard. Many idols do plastic surgery and diet and talk about it like it’s no big deal. That kind of attitude makes people want to pursue beauty more and more.” Indeed, idols are not “standard.” Their career is centered around self-image and entertainment. They are made to attract the eye and bring in a wide audience. They are no longer seen as humans, but as gods, as something more than human. Each idol is given a particular set of personality traits and skills that they contribute to the overall idol group. This false reality leads fans into a downward spiral of obsession and unrealistic outlook on life. I’ve been in South Korea for little over a month. So, I ask myself: “Do I fit the standard?” Short answer: not by any means. The rigid Korean gender stereotypes dictate that I should have long, monotone hair; wear high heels and flaunt my legs with a skirt or dress to show how slim I am; my makeup should be natural-looking, but lipstick is a must-have. My brown hair is cut in a modern pixie style with long bangs in the front with platinum highlights. My hairstyle choice has caused a few strange looks as I walk down the streets of Seoul, and even on a couple of occasions I was asked if I was a girl or boy. I like to think I have an eclectic fashion sense in that there are times I want to dress up or times I just want to put my favorite jeans on and a t-shirt. Heels? Not really a fan but I have my moments. As for my body type? To American standards, I wear a size “0” or extra small with a healthy BMI index. I often get called “skinny”, but not to the Korean culture and standards. According to Korean culture and beauty standards, you can use this equation to measure your ideal weight in kilograms: Take your height (in centimeters) – 115 = a good weight (kilograms). For me, based on my height (162 centimeters), I should weigh 47 kilograms (103 pounds). If I wanted to be a dancer, idol, or model, I need to change the equation to height – 120. This applies to both men and women in the industry. Granted, Asian people are built differently than Americans, having a lighter frame than Western people.
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In the end, after I went through the online survey data and subsequent interviews with Korean women, I’ve come to my own personal beliefs on Korean beauty standards and the K-pop movement. South Korean beauty standards place a major pressure on Korean youth, particularly on girls, to fit into a singular collective that makes the country what it is today. Though these standards are advertised and endorsed through K-pop, I feel it stems from Korean societal structures. K-pop is merely a representation of Korean society, which through a foreigner’s eyes, can be confusing and often misunderstood. For this foreigner studying abroad, I see K-pop for all it is and not the basis for the youth of South Korea. To me, they will always be the flashy gods, the princes and princesses that represent the collective fantasy they work so hard to achieve in the hearts of their fans.
All Photos by Reilly Gabel
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Sidney Shea Khon Kaen, Thailand
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A Survey of CIEE Students
COMMON GROUND
C on tra ce Se pt xu io n al Vi D om ol en es ce tic Ac Vi ce o ss le nc to e H ea lth ca M re en ta lH ea Br lth ea st M C at an er ce na r lM or ta lit y H IV / C AI Fe er D m vi S ca al e l N C G on an en co ce ita m r l m M un ut i ic la ab tio Po le n st D pa i s rtu ea m se s D ep re ss io n
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN WOMEN'S HEALTH TODAY?
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We surveyed CIEE students from study abroad programs around the globe to see what they thought were the most important issues in women’s health today. Students chose their top three issues from a list of options generated from the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health. The majority of students surveyed believed that abortion and contraception was the greatest issue facing women globally, followed closely by sexual violence and domestic violence. The health issues with the fewest votes were post-partum depression and noncommunicable diseases. It is striking to see the global disparities in women’s health issues, with developing countries facing many issues long-eradicated in western nations. For instance, according to WHO, 99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Sierra Leone carries the greatest burden, with a reported 1,360 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (UNICEF). For comparison, the top five countries with the lowest maternal mortality rates are in Europe, all with rates lower than 4 per 100,000 (World Bank). It is interesting to see that cervical cancer received one of the lowest scores, considering that it is the third most common cancer in the world. Though 80% of cases occur in the developing world, it is one of the leading causes of death in women globally. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) received an even lower score, perhaps because at first glance it doesn’t seem to be specifically a women’s health issue. NCDs include cancers such as cervical and breast cancer, but also include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and other
chronic conditions. NCDs account for around 71% of all deaths annually, and according to the Global Health Observatory’s 2016 statistical report, seven of the top ten causes of death were attributed to chronic diseases. Of course, women’s health does not simply refer to mortality rates. Many of the leading health issues impact women’s ability to complete the tasks of daily life. Abortion and contraception, domestic violence, sexual violence, mental health and even access to healthcare remain hot topics in global health, disproportionately affecting women. These upstream issues are becoming increasingly critical to tackling matters of quality of life and mortality rates among women as well. With the introduction of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, international organizations and nonprofits are taking a more holistic approach to solving issues such as poverty, hunger, clean water, food security and more. These will undoubtedly raise the global level of health and well-being and in turn decrease the disparities in women’s health issues around the globe.
Information gathered from the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, National Institute of Health (NIH), and Work the World. The students in this survey were volunteer participants from official CIEE study abroad programs around the world.
SPRING 2019
WOMEN'S HEALTH
COMMON GROUND
CALL ME BY MY NAME:
S
Rebeccca Duran Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic even weeks into my study-abroad semester,
Most often, however, they are composed of
running my third lap around El Monumento de los
hissing through the teeth to get the attention of
Héroes in The Heart City of the Dominican Republic, I
the women and girls passing by. This is
was ready to smack the next man who hissed at me on
frequently accompanied by a slow and shameless
the street. I was so tired of being diminished to a rubia,
full-body scan. Peers of mine have described it
and so fed up with the "purring princesa" label that left
as feeling “fully undressed” by the eyes of those
me feeling dirty. I wondered how this aspect of machismo culture has gotten far under my skin. How could the insignificant comment of someone so trivial counter all the beautiful, soul-filling interactions I had when playing cards with my classmates and eating dinner with my host family? If there are only two things that I have learned in my semester abroad, they are: 1) Context is everything, and 2) A person is a person--no matter where they are in the world. These catcalls, or piropos, were a jarring reality for
:)
calling. The first time I saw this happen in the street, my jaw dropped at how blatant it was-and how deftly the woman ignored it. Piropos are nearly always a one-sided interaction: man to woman. They take place just about everywhere I have been in the Dominican Republic, but most often in the streets around busy public spaces— which has made Santiago de los Caballeros a breeding ground for every kind of piropos imaginable. As much as I have shared and found solidarity
my American classmates and I. As Americans, we
among my female friends in my study abroad
perceived catcalling as objectification which produced
program, I created an anonymous survey to
anger and exhaustion from the persistent effort
gather the thoughts and experiences of other
required to defend our sense of self. It took me a long
American women studying abroad in Santiago
time to realize that my anger came from my
this past semester. The responses were enough
misconstrued sense of cultural context; namely a
to gather sentiments and patterns amongst
failure to recognize that I had left the context I knew.
foreigners temporarily living in the Dominican
In light of that, catcalls had to be interpreted
Republic. The results were not what I expected.
differently here than in the United States. The real
Over 90% of student participants stated that they
dilemma this situation proposed was how to respect
got catcalled every time they left their host
and validate someone else’s cultural expression of
home, and over half indicated getting called at
their personhood without diminishing the intrinsic value and dignity I held for my own. This cultural expression merits a certain appreciation, but only with an equal measure of critique. Piropos in the Dominican Republic are a pervasive part of the overall machismo culture of La Isla Quisqueya. It is something deeply concerning and exhausting to many foreign women, but considered a natural, and even flattering, norm of life by many
multiple times every time they left the house. 100% of participants had received piropos to some degree. I found the frequency staggering, but not surprising—it well reflected my own experience. It is fairly acceptable in common Dominican dialogue to “call it as you see it” when referring to people. For example, it was not considered offensive last week for my host mother to refer to the neighbor as the gordita next door (literally translated as the “little fat lady”).
Dominican women. Piropos can look a lot of different ways; they range anywhere from an impromptu love poem off of the back of a motorcycle to a quick shout from the men sitting in the faded plastic chairs playing dominoes at the corner colmado.
"...my anger came from my misconstrued sense of cultural context."
SPRING 2019
WOMEN'S HEALTH
COMMON GROUND
This mentality frequently translates to the object of the
What reason would men on the street have to
catcalls. 41.7% of the participants of the survey marked
continue calling if most women just ignore them?
that when they received piropos, it was usually in
I’ve asked this question of the young Dominican
reference to their skin color, and 91.7% indicated that they were in reference to their physical features—labels based on the first trait visible to the eye. That said, it was not surprising that over three-quarters of participants indicated that they perceived piropos as
boys in my classes, and oddly enough, I’ve never received a straight answer. Most of them would not look me in the eye when I asked, or they would change the topic as quickly as they could.
objectification. Over the past semester here, it has been
More commonly, I heard, “That’s just the way it
challenging at times not to feel reduced to the labels; it
is.” In truth, this is a complex, multifaceted
has been equally as frustrating to be identified by the
cultural question. At its core lies a historic social
first feature that someone else deems important. From
gender hierarchy.
an American mindset, it seemed that somehow changing our cultural context had made each of us seem like more of an aesthetic trinket than a thinking, feeling human being. Another interesting aspect of the survey responses was how students felt when they were the subject of piropos. Among the most common responses were
There are specific unspoken expectations of the qualities and social standing of men and women in Dominican culture. When it comes to the house and the finances of the family, the woman is unquestioningly the boss. It has always been a privilege for me to talk to the doña of whatever
“uncomfortable,” “angry,” “annoyed,” and “weak.” One
house I’ve visited and watch her swell with pride
participant went as far as to include “less significant.” I
when everything around her functions like a well-
found myself in good company with these words. If I
oiled machine. In most other respects, however,
were to add one, I would say “exhausted.” At the
men are expected to be the voice and to have
beginning of my trip, I found it relatively easy to ignore
control. This perpetuates a male mentality of
the comments and let them roll off my back. As time
dominance, power, and privilege; the piropos in the
passed, however, I found it harder and harder to put up with the constant jibes and taunts. At one point, I found my jaw stiff from gritting my teeth so hard and my fists clenched so tight that I left marks in my palms. It was
street are an expression of these very qualities. It sets up a situation where the recipient, usually a woman, is not in a position to respond as an equal.
then that I paused to consider exactly what it was about
Socially, what most men say to women has few--if
the piropos that evoked such anger in me. It didn’t take
any--repercussions. Right or not, the piropos are an
me long to find it: the piropos made me feel powerless. I
expression of male privilege and a reflection of
found this mirrored in the survey results: none of the
the standing one has in their culture due to their
participants felt they were able to do anything in the
sex.
moment to effectively make the piropos stop. From personal experience and the shared stories of my classmates, we learned that shouting back at catcallers usually served as a taunt and an encouragement to keep going. Most cat callers did not want to be reasoned with or start a real conversation. Accepting the calls in silence was the only option that did not escalate. After a
:)
few months, it became exhausting to grin and bear it every time you went out in public--exhausting to be American in a Dominican context.
;)
"It was then that I paused to consider exactly what it was about the piropos that evoked such anger in me."
SPRING 2019
WOMEN'S HEALTH
COMMON GROUND
Many of the women in my study abroad program have
"I begin to recognize the pillars that have not moved and the ones that are beginning to form"
engaged in a conversation that revealed the dichotomy between the American versus Dominican interpretation of these piropos. Most American students that I encountered viewed them as disrespectful and undignifying to the woman, while my Dominican peers viewed them as typical and at times flattering. I always understood my American peers’ rightful indignation of the piropos as a form of selfrespect. I was encouraged that they knew they were worth being valued for more than their visible traits. Nevertheless, I slowly grew to understand that just because many
To anyone considering studying abroad here
Dominican ladies accepted the piropos gratefully did not mean that they lacked the same self-respect and self-worth.
in the Dominican Republic, and women in
They have all been raised in a cultural context that is very
particular, please come. You will see what you
different than mine, and as a result, they respond
believe about yourself and the value of your
differently than I would. Mismatched reactions just reveal
identity as it rides in parallel to that of your
the difference between my lived experience as a American
Dominican peers. You will experience the
woman, versus their lived experience as Dominican women.
challenge of shifting context and the harsh, but
Our cultural contexts change the way we see, interpret, and
invaluable way it demands that you shift your
value.
perspective. To students who are already here
Studying abroad is an unparalleled opportunity in so
sharing my frustration, I am proud of you. It
many ways, and a time when students are given the liberty
takes a great risk to challenge the things you
to form parts of their identity that otherwise would lie
know to be true, and great courage to shape your
dormant. This certainly has been true for me as I have been
own identity and culture in the world. And
shaken to my core this semester, challenged to question so
finally, to those with privilege within your own
much of who I am outside the comfort of my own culture.
cultural context and authority across the world,
In those moments when everything is a muddle, I begin to recognize the pillars that have not moved and the ones that are beginning to form—these pillars are the undeniable
think twice. Recognize the weight of your words with grace for the cultural context in which you find yourself. At the end of the day, if you are
values that I hold about my identity not only as a woman,
going to call anyone anything, call them by their
but as a human being worthy of dignity and respect. They are the basis of how I respond to others in my life as human
name.
beings worthy of the same. Reflecting on my time in the Dominican Republic with the end of my semester abroad approaching a mere two weeks away, I have found beauty and kindness in the people and places beyond what words could do justice; but I’ve also also grappled with profound fatigue for something as “small” and “harmless” as piropos
._.
:P
Bibliography Duran, Rebecca M. “Piropos (Cat-Calls) & Self-Esteem in the DR.” 27 March 2019. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRdSlrk3itXUSm5I5Cnze87nVlNz86n1U2lO8kvSrDz1sKzw/viewform
communities and countries and ultimately the world are only as strong as the health of their
women
-Michelle Obama
SPRING 2019
WOMEN'S HEALTH
COMMON GROUND
ELENOR ROOSEVELT
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
DR. CHIENSHIUNG WU
KA
N C A L
"Whe yo lo at t e s a s an t e ga y, yo fe t a yo ar no ju f o an pa c a pi
"Beta decay was … like a dear old
f o t e so
friend. There
of la , bu
s te ."
would always be a
ANGELA MERKEL
special place in my
"Always be more than
heart reserved
you appear and never
especially for it."
appear to be more than you are."
OPRAH WINFREY "The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."
NG MUI
Wing Chun is one of the world's youngest Kung Fu styles, and the only one founded by a woman. That woman was Ng Mui (or Ng Mei), a Buddhist nun of China's famous Shaolin Temple
FRIDA KHALO
MALALA YOUSAFZAI “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”
MARY ROBINSON "Feel empowered.
"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?"
And if you start to do it, if you start to feel your voice heard, you will never go back."
BERTA CÁCERES "El reconocimiento de los derechos de las mujeres no es un favor: es una obligación del Estado" "The recognition of women's rights is not a favor: it is an obligation of the State"
Acknowledgements A special thank you to all those who made Common Ground Issue 6 happen: all the CIEE students around the world and the locals they encountered who took time to share their stories, our editors who dedicated themselves to bringing these pieces together, and of course our CIEE staff in Khon Kaen who made it all possible, especially David Streckfuss, Program Director for CIEE Khon Kaen.
For any questions or inquiries regarding Common Ground, feel free to reach out to mag.commonground@gmail.com
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