Sexism
Through an analysis of the three articles, it is evident that the key ethical issue covered by the authors is sexism. Sexism refers to the act of being prejudiced o discriminated against because of one’s sex. This form of discrimination is usually carried out by society against women. It reflects a form of unfair treatment of women because of their gender or sex. It usually manifests through the socialization of certain gender norms.
In all three articles, it is evident that the affected parties are women in society. As a result of sexism, women in societies are burdened with several unfair requirements. In Tang Min’s article, it is evident that women are expected by society to be mothers. Women who cannot become mothers are viewed as less valuable in society (Wang, 1994). Yang Zhao’s article covers how women are expected to maintain certain standards of beauty and efficiently execute traditional gender roles (Wang, 1994). In Xi Xi’s article, the author highlights how women are considered as less inferior in society. He achieves this by using the goldfish as a metaphor.
In the articles, the authors present that one of the major consequences of sexism is that it leads to discrimination and segregation. Evidence of this is reflected in the statement that women who have given birth to boys are viewed as more important than those who have given birth to girls (Wang, 1994). Those who cannot give birth are viewed as inferior members of society (Wang, 1994). The categorization of people based on certain precepts that prescribe a negative connotation to them can lead to emotional distress which can cause depression.
The practice of sexism against women is unethical because it violates the ethical principle of autonomy. The principle of autonomy presents that individuals possess rights to self-determination, freedom, and independence to make their own choices for as long as the choices do not negatively impact the community. The act of sexism robs women of their right to make their own choices by requiring them to conform to predefined gender roles.