[OPINION] Ride and prejudice

Braving the roads of Metro Manila with its endless traffic is a story of strength and courage. Braving principles of gender sensitivity which should start at home and with family roles is another.

On my way to visit my best friend who lives in Quezon City, I decided to take time and not rush from Cavite. While I usually prefer more convenient options, it was a day of savoring the city – its noise, its people, and its colors. What best way to engage myself in the city by taking the jeepney, right?

As I gave my fare to the driver and checked out what’s new in the city, I saw stickers of striking violet and yellow colors inside the jeepney. With the words “Kaya ni mister, kaya ni misis (What the husband can do, the wife can too)” and “Kapag mas maraming babae, ekonomiya ay lumalago (When there are more women, the economy thrives),” they caught my attention. (READ: Empowering women: Because women can and women will)

I asked the driver where he got them and he told me that those stickers were distributed by their local government. After some exchanges of information, I figured out that it was the same campaign advocating for gender equality which also appeared on social media. I knew it was somehow familiar to me and I’m glad that the advocacy is in action.

The stickers are about a campaign entitled Infairness Movement, initiated by Spark!, a non-governmental organization championing women and equality. The campaign aims to break stereotypes of the roles of men and women. (READ: [OPINION] This is what we want for our women)

Men can do household chores, and women can take part in economic development by being employed or heading their own businesses, among others.

The Filipino family

One can picture a “usual” Filipino family scenario where the mother stays at home to do the cooking, while the father is in office attire, juggling meetings in corporate offices. It’s evident in elementary education stories, advertisements, and soap operas.

But over the years, we’ve observed a shift. Take the train, for example, where we see people from all walks of life. It includes both men and women who work in the city and who go home to provinces close to Manila.

However, has Filipino society really embodied that there must be no stereotypes, that discrimination must be a thing of the past?

I can remember my elder brother who recently got married. As they were preparing for their new house, he quickly said that his wife must take charge of all the household chores. Should that really be the case? What if my future nephew and niece would see such behavior?

Infairness Movement advocates that there must be no specific task delegation at home. The family must work together and break stereotypes, which I believe is necessary for community development. If dad can check the car engine, so can mom. If the mother can sew the hemline, so can the father. (READ: Defending Filipino women from stereotypes)

In Technology and Home Economics education, girls are not be separated from boys if the lesson is about woodwork, while boys also learn table skirting just like the girls. These are shared skills.

Moving forward

My brother has to see those stickers of Infairness Movement. Fortunately, they’re also visible online and not just in public transport. (READ: The role of social media in women empowerment)

Transportation brings us to places and thus, we move forward. I hope that we all move forward to a society where there is no prejudice of who does what. We all have a home and we all have families – be it our biological relatives, or our friends, or colleagues. Each must do their part in building the strongest connections.

Try to spot those stickers when you take your next jeepney ride. Heed the call of sharing roles and tasks in the community, regardless of gender. ‘Yung mahal mo sa buhay, kasangga mo sa gawaing bahay (Your loved one is your partner in doing household chores). #infairness! – Rappler.com

Ralph Ferolino works at the French embassy. He majored in French at the University of the Philippines. A family-oriented and friendly traveler, he seizes every opportunity with his cultural capital to give a better understanding of the world, which after all, is just small.