“Maidens in Boxes”
Kishida Toshiko (1863-1901) used snappy phrases such as this to attack the view that men by nature were superior to women. Once a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, she left that life saying that the court was "far from the real world" and a symbol of the concubine system which was an outrage to women. She became a talented and exciting public speaker. Kishida was the first woman to travel all over Japan, addressing huge crowds. She was imprisoned for her beliefs, but continued to speak out. She said that a civilized country should be ashamed to respect men and yet despise women. She claimed that both were needed to help build the new Japan. After hearing Kishida's lectures, a number of women threw themselves into efforts to achieve stronger rights for women. They became know as Japan's "first feminists" and managed to make some gains during the first liberal phase of the Meiji Era. This ended in 1889 with the passing of laws which not only denied women voting rights, but even the right to join political parties, attend political gatherings, or take political science courses.
When the Meiji-Taisho era (1868-1926) began, Japanese leaders were open to new ideas. Responding to this more liberal environment, male and female reformers created the “Popular Rights Movement” which called for new rights and freedoms. Most of the women in the movement became known as Japan’s “first wave” feminists. They set out to identify the ways in which women were oppressed, and to ask for legislation to ensure women’s rights. They also challenged the restrictions of the traditional family structure.
Although the reformers saw that it was important to improve the status of women, they often did so motivated mainly by feeling that this was essential if other technologically advanced nations were to accept Japan. At the same time, they were reluctant to alter the traditional role of women which had prevailed in the past. The ruling elites in particular reacted negatively to pressure by these female calls for reform. Their response was to enact laws designed to keep women from taking part in any political activity. These restrictions were legalized in:
Obstacles such as these slowed the feminist movement and forced some members into acts of direct confrontation with the government. It took a "second wave" within the feminist movement, a new generation of young intellectuals, in 1922 to finally win the right to attend political meetings. Women’s right to vote, however, wasn’t achieved until after World War II.
As the writer for a strong willed, unmarried woman in this game, I can't help but think how these laws would have affected characters like Megumi, Tae, Misao, Tsubame and Midori. They would have had no legal rights, being seen as being in the same class as invidviduals with signifigant mental of physical disabilities, and completely under the control of their head of house. In Megumi's case, this would have been her brother. She would have not been able to inherit any property, hold money in her name, or leave Japan without her brother's approval. Women life Tokio and Kaoru, who were married (and were blessed with husbands who sincerely cared for them) the impact may have been less, but they too would have absolutely been affected by these laws. In the case of divorce, the wife would have been sent home to her parents, without being able to take any property or income with her that she'd earned in the marriage. Also, she would lose all custody rights of any children that came from that marriage.
Primary Source Data: Sharon Sievers: Flowers in Salt: The Beginnings of Feminist Consciousness in Moden Japan.
Wikipedia
The Meiji Reforms and Obstacles for Women
Maidens in Boxes, Kishida Toshiko
When the Meiji-Taisho era (1868-1926) began, Japanese leaders were open to new ideas. Responding to this more liberal environment, male and female reformers created the “Popular Rights Movement” which called for new rights and freedoms. Most of the women in the movement became known as Japan’s “first wave” feminists. They set out to identify the ways in which women were oppressed, and to ask for legislation to ensure women’s rights. They also challenged the restrictions of the traditional family structure.
Although the reformers saw that it was important to improve the status of women, they often did so motivated mainly by feeling that this was essential if other technologically advanced nations were to accept Japan. At the same time, they were reluctant to alter the traditional role of women which had prevailed in the past. The ruling elites in particular reacted negatively to pressure by these female calls for reform. Their response was to enact laws designed to keep women from taking part in any political activity. These restrictions were legalized in:
- the Meiji Constitution of 1889 and the Law of Election in which females were denied voting rights.
- the Law on Assembly and Political Association of 1889, which became the hated Article 5 of the Peace Police Law of 1890. This law denied Japanese women the right to join political parties, attend political gathering, or even take political science courses.
- the Meiji Civil Code of 1898 which gave the male head of the family absolute authority over family members. Men had the sole right to control family property, determine where each family member could live, approve or disapprove of marriages and divorce, and control inheritance. The male head of each household was authorized to control his household members and assets. If a woman who had children divorced, she normally had to leave them with her former husband and his family. One provision stated: “Cripples and disabled persons and wives cannot undertake any legal action.”
Obstacles such as these slowed the feminist movement and forced some members into acts of direct confrontation with the government. It took a "second wave" within the feminist movement, a new generation of young intellectuals, in 1922 to finally win the right to attend political meetings. Women’s right to vote, however, wasn’t achieved until after World War II.
As the writer for a strong willed, unmarried woman in this game, I can't help but think how these laws would have affected characters like Megumi, Tae, Misao, Tsubame and Midori. They would have had no legal rights, being seen as being in the same class as invidviduals with signifigant mental of physical disabilities, and completely under the control of their head of house. In Megumi's case, this would have been her brother. She would have not been able to inherit any property, hold money in her name, or leave Japan without her brother's approval. Women life Tokio and Kaoru, who were married (and were blessed with husbands who sincerely cared for them) the impact may have been less, but they too would have absolutely been affected by these laws. In the case of divorce, the wife would have been sent home to her parents, without being able to take any property or income with her that she'd earned in the marriage. Also, she would lose all custody rights of any children that came from that marriage.
Primary Source Data: Sharon Sievers: Flowers in Salt: The Beginnings of Feminist Consciousness in Moden Japan.
Wikipedia
The Meiji Reforms and Obstacles for Women
Maidens in Boxes, Kishida Toshiko