Women’s Education（女子の学を進む［女子教育］）

Background

It is a widely known fact that Japanese society has long been rooted in a tradition of male chauvinism. This is not limited to Japan, but it is also a historical fact that efforts to restore women’s social status were slower than in the West. Before leaving Japan, Neesima also grew up without questioning the Japanese society of the time. However, through his experience with Christianity and the society formed by it, he came to realize the fallacy of discrimination based on gender.
　Neesima, who established the Doshisha English School and the Doshisha Girls’ School, was convinced that the most important aspect of education, which is essential for the improvement of society, was the education of women, claiming that “the greatest racial regression in education is the lack of education for women.” Neesima’s view of women, which had changed in the U.S., underwent further change after the founding of Doshisha. Upon returning to Japan, Neesima sought to create an image of women who would not be beholden to men, and at the same time, he was critical of women who made their living by selling sex. However, his experience in the Christian values education field and working with missionaries from the American Board (the first foreign missionary organization in the United States, founded in 1810) and the Woman’s Board of Missions (women’s evangelism bureau working with the American Board), which had already begun building a path for women in society, led him to propose social reform to give all women the same level of education as men and to raise awareness that educated women should strive for true independence.
　This change is a testament to Neesima’s awareness that all people are human beings with dignity, transcending gender distinctions. Neesima was the cornerstone of many social activists who have emerged from Doshisha.

Contemporary Significance

Does the phrase “advance women’s education” emphasize the need for education “for women,” or does it encourage women to learn “on their own?” Perhaps the expression includes both meanings. If so, as the subject of this phrase is both “society” and “women,” it is an excellent phrase that succinctly expresses Neesima’s assertion that social improvement and women’s education are linked.
　It is very significant that Neesima voiced his opinion that both the reality and awareness of women’s education should be advanced, that he continued to show through his words and actions that there is no such thing as a hierarchy based on gender and all people are equal, and that he insisted that reform has the potential to move society forward toward a better path. The fact that these things were done by men, who were considered dominant in society then, is very significant. It is also important to remember that although “women’s” education is described as education specific to one sex, it intends to assert the necessity and importance of education for all human beings.
　Today, social perceptions of sexuality are reaching a new turning point. The recognition of LGBTQ+ by cisgender people (people whose gender identity and physical gender identity match and live accordingly) is equivalent to the recognition of women by men in the era in which Neesima lived. There is simply a diversity that has not been noticed before, and the unchanging ideal of a society that respects people equally as individuals and protects the dignity of each other is unwavering.
　The Bible describes God’s blessing to all creation, saying, “and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). All things were equally extremely good. Inheriting the spirit of Neesima, who overcame a lack of social awareness 150 years ago with Christian love, we are called to do the same, overcome the barriers, and move forward.

(Tomomi Koda)