Over one hundred women from the writing and publishing industry
from both sides of the Taiwan Straits as well as Hong Kong and
Macao attended the Forum on Women’s Reading and Images on Tuesday,
one of the four parallel forums of the Third Cross-Straits Women’s
Development Seminar held in Beijing on September 19-20.
Most participants contended that the Internet plays a strong
role in promoting women’s social status while some warned that
traditional reading habits are at risk with the rise of the
Internet.
Liu Xiao, project manager of Taiwan Bokelai Online Bookstore,
said that the Taiwanese female netizen population has grown rapidly
in recent years. The emergence of blogs has kickstarted women’s
enthusiasm for the Internet. Women’s dominant position online has
been gradually increasing, due to the absence of any gender
discrimination on the web.
Liang Xiaosheng, a prominent writer in the mainland and
professor with the Beijing Language and Culture University, took
part in the discussion as the only male speaker. He stated that the
Internet helps women to better themselves, largely enhances their
participation in various social and worldwide topics, and allows
for an unprecedented capacity of self-expression. Women can fully
present themselves through the Internet, communicating via an
unparalleled method beyond geography, Liang said.
Wang Baozhen from the Chinese Department of Taiwan University
also emphasized the importance of reading for women, saying that is
a kind of investment in fostering a woman’s inherent beauty.
However, she appreciates the Internet writing and regarded the
Internet as a necessary tool in daily life. She advocated that all
the women should enhance the ability in surfing the Internet.
When answering a question raised by the Taiwanese publisher and
chief editor of Global Views Monthly, Wang Lixing, stating
that easy and equal Internet access can affect the relations
between the two sexes, Liang Xiaosheng said, “In the past, women
observe themselves in mirror and man observe themselves from
women’s eyes. Some secrets and privities should be sustained
between the two genders, which can make men show reserve and
respect towards women. The Internet lets theses secrets and
privities open at an early time, harmful to the shaping of human
nature.
“Additionally, what is my personal view is that young girl
holding a book and reading, mother nursing, and old lady being deep
in thought are the most beautiful moments. Men can be easily
carried away by these postures of women. But, women hanging about
in the Internet all day will age earlier and read even less
books.”
Liang’s misogynistic opinion was strongly refuted by Huang Lin,
chief editor of an academic publication The Chinese
Feminism. Huang said the Internet is just a tool and women can
operate it skillfully but not losing themselves in it. “That means
we are in an era of intelligence, in which nothing is comparable to
the Internet which offers such an equal space shared by men and
women.
“I agree what the renowned writer Chen Ran has said – the woman
who is using a PC is the most beautiful.”
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, September 21, 2006)