The Meiji-Taisho era (1868-1926) brought many new ideas and more obstacles for women to hurdle over in Japan.
In this era, liberal movements were more accepted. Because of this, a group of male and female reformers created the “Popular Rights Movement”. They wanted new rights and freedoms. The women in this women are known as Japan’s “first wave” feminists. They wanted to find what oppressed women and to fight for ways that legislature could help them ensure women’s rights. The traditional family structure of Japan was also challenged by these feminists.
“Although the reformers saw that it was important to improve the status of women, they often did so motivated mainly by feeling that this was essential if other technologically advanced nations were to accept Japan.” While this was true, they …show more content…
The Meiji Civil Code of 1898 made the head of the household and the family have absolute power over family members. This meant that men controlled the property, determined where family members would live, decided whether someone could marry or divorce someone, and controlled the inheritance. This Civil Code meant that women who were divorced from their husbands had to leave her children with the husband. On top of this, a provision said “‘Cripples and disabled persons and wives cannot undertake any legal action.’”
These three laws are examples of ways first wave feminists in Japan were targeted for their ideas of change and freedom of rights for women. They were obstacles they had to jump over in order to get where women are now in Japan. The “second wave” of feminists in Japan, a new generation of intellectuals in the 1920s, were the ones to finally win the right to attend political
In this era, liberal movements were more accepted. Because of this, a group of male and female reformers created the “Popular Rights Movement”. They wanted new rights and freedoms. The women in this women are known as Japan’s “first wave” feminists. They wanted to find what oppressed women and to fight for ways that legislature could help them ensure women’s rights. The traditional family structure of Japan was also challenged by these feminists.
“Although the reformers saw that it was important to improve the status of women, they often did so motivated mainly by feeling that this was essential if other technologically advanced nations were to accept Japan.” While this was true, they …show more content…
The Meiji Civil Code of 1898 made the head of the household and the family have absolute power over family members. This meant that men controlled the property, determined where family members would live, decided whether someone could marry or divorce someone, and controlled the inheritance. This Civil Code meant that women who were divorced from their husbands had to leave her children with the husband. On top of this, a provision said “‘Cripples and disabled persons and wives cannot undertake any legal action.’”
These three laws are examples of ways first wave feminists in Japan were targeted for their ideas of change and freedom of rights for women. They were obstacles they had to jump over in order to get where women are now in Japan. The “second wave” of feminists in Japan, a new generation of intellectuals in the 1920s, were the ones to finally win the right to attend political