JAWing On – Life on Okinawa

In my last post, I opened the subject of local men’s views of women. Let’s explore the trickle-down effect of this system. The attitude that women are put on Earth merely as someone to provide men entertainment is not limited to the night hostesses. I have worked in various jobs in my twenty-five years on Okinawa, and in every single one of them the local men I encountered seemed to think I was open game to the same kind of behavior that they display at the hostess kisatens. Basically, the majority of local men I have encountered think I am here to baby sit them, since I am not their wife. This behavior is not limited to strangers. The difference is because I am a foreigner, they think they can get a better deal on the product. All the men have an unwritten code on the behavior and expect you to take it in stride. Over the years, I have had so-called friends of my spouse treat me in the same manner. Even when they come to the club where my husband and I both work, they still try to play their little games. When you as an individual choose not to accept this behavior from them, they (following the rule of typical social behavior) seek to “destroy that which cannot be assimilated.” All of this undertow leads to some of the obnoxious behaviors I have discussed earlier in Pet Peeve posts. What many of these men don’t seem to fathom is that people as individuals will determine whether or not a particular type of behavior is acceptable for them. And if those women who do want to accept being nothing more than purchased male entertainment choose to, that’s their choice. But some women will not limit themselves to being nothing more than a babysitter/caretaker of little boys of any age.