This title is sure to raise a few eyebrows for many female readers. The facts are in and times have changed: women get more advantages than men these days. I would like to share some of my thoughts on why males have a harder time than females. First of all, Korea has traditionally been a society of conservatism. This age-long tradition required certain expectations from everyone. The household was no exception. Parents had a firm expectation towards their son and another for their daughters. Daughters have had much complaint regarding this ancient custom. And for good reason they thought that their parents supported their brothers more than themselves. However, they were disregarding the fact that high expectation often result in an adverse reaction. Consequently, these internal household conventions had a tendency to result in excessive stress on sons.Secondly, for boys, pressure continues once they step outside their homes. This pressure has a strong tendency to mold boys into people that they actually are not. For example, a few weeks ago I saw, a gang of four middle school kids trying to show their masculinity by swearing and acting tough. This made me laugh and think about my school life. The power structure of boys is similar to that of the animal kingdom. Students with strength or who are gifted have a better chance of taking control over his class. The bad news is that only a few remain on top and the rest are forced to believe that they are mediocre.Thirdly, when everything seems to have settled down and the harsh school life is over, some go on to college and others enter the job market. Quite predictably, things are not so easy for the boys. Just when they have finally found their place in society, big brother calls them to serve their country. The shortest period for army is two years and two months. This advantage gives girls time to concentrate on their education or their careers. This is a good example of what I'm trying to say. When I was in the army I got a call from my female friend. She told me that she would be graduating the following week. After several months I got another call from her telling me that she had found a great job. This was good news for her and I was genuinely happy for her. However, it got me to think about myself. I was just stuck, going nowhere, wondering what I was doing in the military. Time does little to improve market conditions once the men are discharged from their duty.Finally, there is a societal pressure for men to be providers. This invisible stereotype that men should support their family and sacrifice their time and income for his kids is still instilled in peoples minds.Many readers might conclude that I am a chauvinistic pig, and that I have completely disregarded the harsh reality that women face everyday. However, I feel that the surge and attention to feministic movement have overshadowed some basic fundamental sacrifices that are expected of men in general. I must admit, there are problems for both sexes and they should be acknowledged by education and consideration rather than hostility and censure.
The writer is a senior student in the Dept. of Police Administration at DU.