Blog 7: Women in China Face Rising University Entr Barriers

Alexus Gordon
October 16, 2012
SOC 202-01

Women in China Face Rising University Entry Barriers

Prospective female university goers in China are currently undergoing pressure resulting from the need to obtain higher scores than that of the male counterpart for university admissions. In honor of the protest against the rise in female scoring standards, young women and men are shaving their heads to show the Education Ministry the unfairness that is being executed through gender discrimination. One of the young women participating in this protest has stated that the Education Law prohibits acts of gender discrimination, yet there is much confusion as to why the Ministry is able to allow such action to take place in university admission processes.

Chinese news reports have revealed that university specific gender discrimination practices have been undergo since at least 2005 as a response to the number of women becoming higher than that of men in specific areas of study. Statistics show a rise in the number of women obtaining undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees when comparing 2004, 2005, 2010, and 2012 data obtained from The 21st Century Business Herald. The Education Ministry responds to concerned individuals with unclear wording on reasoning for the gender differentiation in current play. ‘“In view of considerations of national interest,” to meet personnel training needs in some job areas or specialties, “a few colleges may appropriately adjust the enrollment ratios of men and women.”’ What constitutes as national interest and these mentioned job areas or specialties? Media Monitor Lu Pin and lawyer Huang Yizhi write this question in response to the Ministry’s aforementioned message.

Pin and Yizhi bring to notice such great points that the Education Ministry will undoubtedly have a hard time responding to with material that makes this issue a matter of right over its current wrong. The gender discrimination exhibited throughout university admissions in China is a problem in that it is keeping young women who have worked very hard to earn such honorable grades from pursuing their dreams. How can gender define what one is capable of in the Information Age? These young women deserve to be treated with equal respects and acknowledged for their work and dedication to the Chinese world of academia.