Primary Source Interpretation During this time, the world, mainly the west, associated China with femininity, or as a weak nation. So in order to raise their status, China needed to raise the status of their women. So, women and men were technically equal, but in reality, they were just changed to fit the ideal role of a man. In the society of Red Azalea by Anchee Min, the demand for conformity masculinized women, in appearance and attitudes. In appearance, women were often masculinized, because of the need for conformity in society. One example of the Communist Party enforcing conformity on their people was the forced participation of women in labor, specifically labor camps. This caused women to physically change their appearance. Yan
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This is mostly attributed to displaying sexuality, since having an individual lover would be something special, not able to be regulated by the government, and most of all displaying the fact they are women, and not men. Again, Little Green exemplifies this. When she is caught with her lover, he is almost immediately executed, since she is forced to say she is raped in order to save herself (Min 59). The reminder that Little Green is a woman and commits sexual acts with a man made the members of the camp very uncomfortable, because it went against the conformist ideal that the Communist Party is trying to push. The ideal woman at this time would conform to the ideal man, and he did not have a male lover. This is an outward show of the masculinization of women, but some of the masculinization of women was only demonstrated inwardly. Since the Communist party also only allowed heterosexual relationships, for the sake of conformity, one partner in a lesbian relationship is likely to assume the role of a man in a relationship, in order to justify this. Yan once says “I wish you were a man” (Min 110), and from there they continue the relationship. This masculinizes Anchee, because she now has to step away from her role as a woman and become the man in this relationship. The desire for conformity, in this situation heterosexual conformity, takes away the ability for one woman in a lesbian relationship to express her
This is mostly attributed to displaying sexuality, since having an individual lover would be something special, not able to be regulated by the government, and most of all displaying the fact they are women, and not men. Again, Little Green exemplifies this. When she is caught with her lover, he is almost immediately executed, since she is forced to say she is raped in order to save herself (Min 59). The reminder that Little Green is a woman and commits sexual acts with a man made the members of the camp very uncomfortable, because it went against the conformist ideal that the Communist Party is trying to push. The ideal woman at this time would conform to the ideal man, and he did not have a male lover. This is an outward show of the masculinization of women, but some of the masculinization of women was only demonstrated inwardly. Since the Communist party also only allowed heterosexual relationships, for the sake of conformity, one partner in a lesbian relationship is likely to assume the role of a man in a relationship, in order to justify this. Yan once says “I wish you were a man” (Min 110), and from there they continue the relationship. This masculinizes Anchee, because she now has to step away from her role as a woman and become the man in this relationship. The desire for conformity, in this situation heterosexual conformity, takes away the ability for one woman in a lesbian relationship to express her