Grrrrrr

I attended my University's weekly English club meeting tonight, and the topic was beauty. Fine. Lots to talk about. Cool. I think it was in correspondence with Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20) but the connection was hazy. In any case, one of the discussion topics was: "Speak any one thing about the woman" [sic].  

Some people said, "Women are important in the family," and "Women are beautiful," and "Women have a lot of responsibilities." I said "Women are powerful," which I think is true and an important message to offer to my students.

One [female] student, however, said "Women are fragile and need to find a man to protect them."

Ok. I am all for cultural sensitivity and diversity of thought and blah blah blah blah blah, but seriously, Vietnam? I am usually so obsessed with my students and the endearingly precious things that they say, like when they create skits whose main characters are Nelson Mandela and Justin Beiber, or when they tell me that I have a perfect nose, mouth, skin, and hair (I have one student, Tao, who I absolutely adore, who compliments me every time that I see her. Every time). 

But ugh, seriously, it is so hard to connect with my students when I hear indications like this one that our world-views are so radically different.