Gender Bias in the Northern Water Tribe?

[wiiboy]

Now I have been thinking about this a lot. Is it possible that the Northern Water Tribe was never really gender bias. Remember, before Katara came along. This was the traditional culture of the tribe and no body, man or woman, have ever once thought that their society is gender bias. If nobody there thinks it is, then how can it be bias? Sure a lot of people are going to disagree, but that is because we live in a country and most likely a world where there is not much gender bias.

Put yourself in the shoes of a Water Tribe citizen. Man or Woman, you wouldn't think of any kind of gender bias whatsoever. Because this was the one you were raised and believed how a society would act. So if everyone thought their way of living was right for them. How can gender bias exist unless an outsider points it out? Katara was the only one who seemed to have a problem with this, possibly for selfish reasons possibly. Seeing how she wanted to fight and not thought about the rest of the tribe girls. Chances are, most of the tribe culture probably wouldn't change much.

Now it's time to do some hard thinking, role play if you must. How can gender bias exist when no one thinks it exist. Women would think this was the right way of living. Men would think the same way. The only exception to the rule was Katara because she was the would-have-be granddaughter of Pakku. Funny how people think of an entire culture from their bias (irony ;D) outside mind opinion. Never from an insider's mind. The second exception possibly would be a female avatar, who needs to learn to fight.

One of things that made me think of this is when I stumbled across a comic stripe about Katara and the Northern Water Tribe where the poster was kind of annoyed with her coming in and completely changing hundred year old culture and how everyone assumes arranged marriages are, "OMG EVIL!" But he/she did make a good point, this is a kids television show from America mostly for American audiences.

Anyways there you go, and before you post anything saying they are gender bias or any one liners. Then perhaps you shouldn't be reading this from someone who has thought inside the box.

(p.s. This is the same topic posted over at Distant Horizons. )

[Beebs]

Um...just because that may be their accepted culture doesn't mean it isn't discrimination. True, they may not feel that may, but it, y'know...still is. Think of it like someone stealing food for their family; although they might not feel like it was the wrong thing to do, it was still against the law.

[secretly-broken]

Years ago, the whole world was gender biased. That was the culture then but it has obviously changed now since people realised that the way women were treated was wrong and that they deserved the same rights as men.

Just because the culture of the water tribe is gender biased doesn't mean that it isn't wrong or that it can't be changed. If cultures didn't develop and change then the world would remain the same forever and all types of discrimination would still exist.

Jun 13, 2008 1:52:35 GMT -6 @wiiboy said:

Put yourself in the shoes of a Water Tribe citizen. Man or Woman, you wouldn't think of any kind of gender bias whatsoever. Because this was the one you were raised and believed how a society would act.

No, I think as time passes by, they would realise that it was wrong for the women to be treated different to the men. Perhaps most of the men wouldn't really care much about it...but I'm sure most women would.

Think about it, back when the whole world was gender biased, the women just didn't decide to rebel and get more rights just for the heck of it. They knew the way they were being treated was wrong because over time they realised this. Just because you were brought up believing one thing doesn't mean that your beliefs don't change as you grow up. I think the water tribe would see how in the other three nations women were allowed to bend and wonder why it was different in the water tribe...and then they'll hopefully do something about it.