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utilsrise 's review for:
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
by Cho Nam-joo
The rage and helplessness this book made me feel.
“When Kim Jiyoung was in elementary school, her mother was reading a one-line comment her homeroom teacher had made on her journal assignment and said, ‘I wanted to be a teacher, too’
Jiyoung burst into laughter. She found the idea outrageous because she’d thought until then mothers could only be mothers.”
The way her mother went through so much because of her brothers when she was younger and had to work to pay for their tuition yet she still treated her daughters and son differently, made them sacrifice some things for him, made them do all the work and babied him, is baffling. And I can’t even be mad at that I kind of understand why she acted that way, it’s just disappointing.
My favorite topic to talk about and biggest mystery for me: menstrual cramps
“‘Half the population in the world goes through this every month. If a pharmaceutical company were to develop an effective pill specifically for menstrual cramps, not the “pain medication” that makes you sick, they would make a fortune.’
‘You’re right, in a world where doctors can cure cancer and do heart transplants, there isn’t a single pill to treat menstrual cramps.’ Her sister pointed at her own stomach. ‘The world wants our uterus to be drug-free. Like sacred grounds in a virgin forest’”
I always thought it was just impossible for doctors to come up with an “effective pill” for cramps but after reading this I get mad when I’m having excruciatingly painful period cramps. I seriously wanna know why we still have to suffer with it in this developed world.
Another point that actually made me sit and think for a long time after reading:
“‘The women take on all the cumbersome, minor tasks without being asked, while guys never do. Doesn’t matter if they’re new or the youngest - they never do anything they’re not told to do. But why do women simply take things upon themselves?’”
The fact that both Jiyoung’s in-laws and Jiyoung’s mother’s in-laws pressured them into getting pregnant and made it clear that it has to be a boy is terrifying. Look how much time passed and their mindset still hasn’t changed. I knew before even starting the book that she’s gonna quit her job to take care of her newborn but I still hoped and begged she wouldn’t while reading it. And the way her husband treated the situation so apathetically made me want to rip the damn book apart. I know he was showing her a little bit of support but he just watched her fall apart WHILE SHE’S TAKING CARE OF HISSS CHILD. He made her look and sound crazy tbh I hated him.
Plus his solution for his entire family literally calling his wife names and making fun of her for not getting pregnant, was “to just have a kid”.
Quite literally what he said was:
“‘Let’s just have a kid. If we’re going to have one eventually, why not avoid the lectures by just having one? We’re not getting any younger.’”
He must’ve thought for a long time to come up with that solution; a round of applause for him
“When Kim Jiyoung was in elementary school, her mother was reading a one-line comment her homeroom teacher had made on her journal assignment and said, ‘I wanted to be a teacher, too’
Jiyoung burst into laughter. She found the idea outrageous because she’d thought until then mothers could only be mothers.”
The way her mother went through so much because of her brothers when she was younger and had to work to pay for their tuition yet she still treated her daughters and son differently, made them sacrifice some things for him, made them do all the work and babied him, is baffling. And I can’t even be mad at that I kind of understand why she acted that way, it’s just disappointing.
My favorite topic to talk about and biggest mystery for me: menstrual cramps
“‘Half the population in the world goes through this every month. If a pharmaceutical company were to develop an effective pill specifically for menstrual cramps, not the “pain medication” that makes you sick, they would make a fortune.’
‘You’re right, in a world where doctors can cure cancer and do heart transplants, there isn’t a single pill to treat menstrual cramps.’ Her sister pointed at her own stomach. ‘The world wants our uterus to be drug-free. Like sacred grounds in a virgin forest’”
I always thought it was just impossible for doctors to come up with an “effective pill” for cramps but after reading this I get mad when I’m having excruciatingly painful period cramps. I seriously wanna know why we still have to suffer with it in this developed world.
Another point that actually made me sit and think for a long time after reading:
“‘The women take on all the cumbersome, minor tasks without being asked, while guys never do. Doesn’t matter if they’re new or the youngest - they never do anything they’re not told to do. But why do women simply take things upon themselves?’”
The fact that both Jiyoung’s in-laws and Jiyoung’s mother’s in-laws pressured them into getting pregnant and made it clear that it has to be a boy is terrifying. Look how much time passed and their mindset still hasn’t changed. I knew before even starting the book that she’s gonna quit her job to take care of her newborn but I still hoped and begged she wouldn’t while reading it. And the way her husband treated the situation so apathetically made me want to rip the damn book apart. I know he was showing her a little bit of support but he just watched her fall apart WHILE SHE’S TAKING CARE OF HISSS CHILD. He made her look and sound crazy tbh I hated him.
Plus his solution for his entire family literally calling his wife names and making fun of her for not getting pregnant, was “to just have a kid”.
Quite literally what he said was:
“‘Let’s just have a kid. If we’re going to have one eventually, why not avoid the lectures by just having one? We’re not getting any younger.’”
He must’ve thought for a long time to come up with that solution; a round of applause for him