Probably you'll say the reason why I like Mulan, is because of the message of women empowerment, and all that stuff.
And although it is right that I like it because of that, maybe the way that I like it is not what you think. And I wanted to share with you today.
Because, this 1998 movie can teach us, both women and men, things that 2018 society can reflect onto.
Yes, it is 2018.
But what's wrong with women choosing to be a stay-at-home mom, not pursuing engineering, and constricting yourself to wear things, because
they want to, or they need to?
Maybe you'll understand about the 'want' part, but maybe you're also being skeptical about the 'need' part. Don't worry, we'll get to that part later.
Okay, let's talk about Mulan, shall we?
We all know she isn't that girly and doesn't fit into what exactly her society deems as being a girl. In this story, she was being depicted as being sad, not being able to do so. But we now know it's okay, since those expectations aren't exactly rules that she needs to follow. Those are just things that she needs to fulfill to have society's approval, which she doesn't have to.
But things change when her old, sick father is needed to fight in a war. You tell me, which daughter would let her old sick father into a battlefield? That's right; none. So she disguised herself as a man a.k.a her father's son and go on behalf of her father.
Of course she's not girly, but nonetheless, she's a girl. She has not been exposed to military knowledge and practices as much as men did. She started from scratch, and ultimately master all of those knowledge and practices required.
So, she and her team won the battle, until she was expelled from the team after her identity was exposed. She wanted to go home, but she saw danger coming into China. The enemies whom her team thought were killed, survived and were on their way to seize the Emperor. She tried to warn her former team, but of course they wouldn't listen, at the beginning. But she was determined, this time. China has to be saved, period.
And of course, in the end, she did save China.
So, why I like Mulan again?
Like I said before, because of women empowerment in this, and the fact that she proves herself to be as good as men in wars, right?
No.
She went through all of those troubles,
not to show society that she does not have to follow stereotypes to be a girl,
not to show that she is capable enough to be in the war like.
She does not want all of that.
At least, the one that she wanted to prove, is to herself, that she can be worthwhile. Not anyone else.
The very reason why she went through all of those troubles, is because
she needs to.
Her father is sick, and she would not let him go, even if he wanted to.
Even at the end, after she saved China, she was offered to be the Emperor's advisor. But she declined and went home to be with her family. Because
she never wanted all of those approvals at the first place. She's just doing what she needed to do; protecting her family and upholding its honor.
This is exactly why I love Mulan.
Women don't have to choose to work over being a stay-at-home mum, just to prove that they can work as well as men.
Women don't have to choose to study engineering, just to prove that they can excel in that field as well as men.
We don't have to prove to anyone anything.
We just do things based on what we want and what we need.
And usually, we will prioritize what we need over what we want.
For example; being a working or a stay-at-home mom.
If you want to be a stay-at-home mom, but your family financial situation requires you to work, then go to work.
If you want to be a stay-at-home mom just because you want to, and there's no other factor prohibiting you from doing so, then stay at home.
If you want to work, but your children's care requires you to stay at home, then stay at home.
If you want to work just because you want to, and there's no other factor prohibiting you from doing so, then go to work.
This can also be applied to men!
For example; studying engineering (or any masculine-based fields, in fact) or feminine-based fields
If you want to study engineering, but your lifestyle and career goals requires you to study feminine-based fields, then go study those fields.
If you want to study engineering just because you want to, and there's no other factor prohibiting you from doing so, then go for it.
If you want to study feminine-based fields, but your lifestyle and career goals requires you to study engineering, then go study engineering.
If you want to study feminine-based fields, and there's no other factor prohibiting you from doing so, then go for it.
It is important to know what society thinks, values and prioritize. But it is more important for you to do you own things based on your own thoughts, values and priorities. Because ultimately it is your life, not theirs.
I'm not saying that proving things are not important. Thanks to various feminism movements that actually dedicate all their efforts proving things, laws are being reformed and stereotypes are being shattered. They really bring light into what both men and women are capable of doing, when we remove stereotypes out of the way.
But here, I'm just talking about our own, individual, normal lives. These movements have paved ways for us to have more choices and opportunities about our future, regardless of our gender. So, use these opportunities and choose wisely, to make
your own life the best.
Your own life is not a race, and is not meant to compete with everybody. Your life is your own life.
You decide what's in and out of your life.
Because, at the very end, it is ultimately your life.
p/s: I had made a video that is also quite similar to what I'm trying to say here. You can
click here and watch it. Hopefully you'll gain benefit even more.
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