Women in Vietnam

I approach this topic with humility because surely many doctoral theses and special commissions have studied it widely but it still calls out for blog reflection. Women are clearly a notable force in the daily life of Vietnam.

Our guide book tells us about the Ba Trung sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi who in 39 A. D. replaced their executed husbands in a rebellion against the Chinese in the northern kingdom. In 1945, after the retreat of the Japanese, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam an independent nation and in its first constitution laid the legal framework for women's equality. Despite French occupation and influence, the Vietnamese people's spirit of equality and fierce independence persisted.

Women fought side by side with men in military forces before and during the American war. Women work in the rice fields; women are key vendors in the marketplace; women drive water taxis and market boats; women are mainstays in family life; women typically dress for action (pants and loose shirts), with very occasional high heeled shoes in the city. None of this may seem remarkable, but taken all together, it is a portrait of resourcefulness that is impressive.

There are sobering realities, too. We know that difficult domestic issues confront many women. And we had the benefit of hearing the experience of a young Smith alum in Hue who, in an internship in Vietnam her junior year, volunteered in a safe home for very young girls recovering from forced child prostitution. These challenges span countries and cultures and we can only hope international and national pressures work for their amelioration.