【活動紀實】 國發所英語小聚 English Corner : Gender Inequality
Date: December 1st, 2025
Venue: R204
Record by: Hsiao-Hang Wang, PhD Student
Event Summary:
This English Corner session focused on Gender Inequality, inviting students to share and discuss real life observations of gender disparities in a relaxed lunch time setting. Led by Professor Ijin Hong, the meetup combined news articles, cross national comparisons, and personal stories to guide participants from everyday experiences toward a more structural understanding.
Students discussed examples from Taiwan, including unequal inheritance, patrilineal rituals, household responsibilities, and gendered workplace titles. They also introduced gender norms from other countries. Diana, a second-year GIND student from the U.S., explained the recent rise of the “Trad Wife” trend on TikTok, where women are encouraged to become fulltime homemakers a phenomenon linked to growing conservatism and religious revival. Louis, a first-year GIND student from France, noted that although France is often seen as progressive, issues such as unequal promotion opportunities and women leaving the workforce after childbirth remain prevalent.
Through discussion, participants saw how gender inequality transcends borders while taking different forms across cultures. The conversation also touched on how women’s heavier burden in childcare and housework often pushes them into flexible, short-hour, or lower-paid jobs, contributing to various types of occupational segregation. This includes horizontal segregation that gender concentration in different industries and vertical segregation, where women face barriers to managerial positions due to the “glass ceiling.” The group concluded that subsidies or scholarships alone cannot resolve these issues, as deeper structural factors workplace culture, family expectations, and institutional values continue to shape inequality.