Radio hostess Clara Chou’s (周玉蔻) harsh remarks about Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) credibility displeased Ko’s chief of staff, Tsai Pi-ju (蔡壁如), who sent Chou the following text message: “Does scolding Ko Wen-je [on TV] make you happy? You are a beautiful woman and it is frightening to suddenly see your wrinkles. Take care of yourself.”
News of the message caused a lot of controversy and discussion. Ko’s fans applauded Tsai and kept adding to Tsai’s comments, while those who dislike Ko said he lacked the demeanor of a mayor and that he should not have allowed his chief of staff to engage in such personal attack.
No matter how cautiously Tsai chose her words, she was clearly attacking Chou’s appearance.
If we take a closer look at our mothers, we will spot quite a few wrinkles on their faces too, but we must not forget that these wrinkles are the traces of their busy housework, and no one would criticize them for those lines.
Tsai, who used to work at National Taiwan University Hospital, should have known that it is perfectly natural for wrinkles to appear. If she really thinks that Chou’s comments are untrustworthy simply because she is frightened by Chou’s wrinkles, then Tsai’s personal values would be solely built on a person’s looks.
That is very shallow criticism and behavior.
However, if she does not really think so, but is only trying to hurt Chou, then that is such lowly behavior that should make people question the taste and style of the mayor’s chief of staff.
This war of words was triggered by political comments, but at a deeper level, it exposed the weakness of women who live in the shadow of their appearances.
It was disturbing to realize that despite Taiwanese having gone through a long transition toward democracy and freedom, electing their first woman president and claiming to be a liberal and advanced nation, women still need to hide behind their looks.
As Ko’s chief of staff, it is Tsai’s duty to defend him against unfavorable criticism and to do so whether those commentaries make sense or not.
However, she chose to attack Chou’s looks instead of responding to her commentary itself. Unless she truly believed that Chou’s comments were unreliable only because her face was lined with wrinkles when she made them, then she was deliberately using this kind of language to provoke Chou in the hope of attracting supporters’ sympathy and encouragement as the commentator lost her cool.
Tsai might have achieved the desired effect, but she did so by taking advantage of a deep-seated fear among women. To pull such a trick, whether intentional or not, is pathetic.
On the one hand, we encourage women to have strong values and identities, and they shine in every corner of Taiwanese society, while on the other, there is zero tolerance for wrinkles, as if women with wrinkles should be condemned or even abandoned by society. The result is that many women think day and night about how to reduce their wrinkles.
Wrinkles are supposed to be a symbol of wisdom and every line on our faces is a symbol of the wisdom we have been given by time. If Tsai examined her boss according to the same standard, she would also find a number of wrinkles on Ko’s face when he talks. Would that frighten her?
One cannot but heave a deep sigh after reading Tsai’s controversial message. Despite the election of a female president, many Taiwanese women are still trapped in the same way they were 50 years ago.
Hopefully, all Taiwanese women will be able to escape this trapped situation, so they could show their confidence and accomplishments without having to worry about any wrinkles.
May Huang is a freelance translator.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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