VOA标准英语2009-South Korean Capital Tries to Address Women'

As part of the Seoul government's effort to make the city more accessible for women, it has created thousands of parking spaces just for women.

Jason Strother | Seoul 24 November 2009

As part of the Seoul government's effort to make the city more accessible for women, it has created thousands of parking spaces just for women. But some critics say that the project makes only superficial changes and does not really make the city safer or more convenient for anyone.

Pink parking lots
 
Like most modern metropolises¹, traffic in downtown Seoul is often bumper² to bumper and parking is scarce.
 
That is one reason Seo Yoon Jung says she does not like driving here.
 
"Going to downtown, City Hall area, do you know how many times I drive there, none, zero, because there are no parking spots," Seo said.

For Seo and other women, the city of Seoul is trying to fix that problem.
 
The government has created tens of thousands so-called pink parking spots. They are just for women and are located near the entrances of most public parks and buildings.

Female parking first

At the entrance to a parking lot near City Hall, Seo grabs a ticket from the automated³ machine, which allows her car to enter. She immediately spots a sign.

"Oh, it says, Yeoseo Im bu, female parking first," Seo said.

She soon finds a parking spot, outlined in pink, a skirt-wearing stick figure painted on the pavement. She pulls in.

It is not illegal for men to park in these spaces. Unlike spots reserved for disabled motorists, male drivers can take them if nothing else is available. 
 
But in South Korea there is a feeling that women are not good drivers. And they need a little extra help when parking their cars.

"In fact, I think it's wider, and I can see, when I look at it I really couldn't tell, but when actually I parked there, considering the space between the cars, I think it's wider and it's easier," Seo said.

Pink parking spots are not the only changes that Seoul is making for women.

Other changes target women

Around town, old uneven⁴ sidewalks are being replaced with smooth tiles that are easier for women in high heels to walk on. And in subway stations, new women's restrooms are being built closer to police boxes.
 
These are all a part of the city's Women Friendly program, which began earlier this year. 
 
Cho Eun Hee is Seoul's assistant mayor for women and family affairs.
 
Cho says the women's restrooms and the sidewalks were made because the city is concerned about the comfort of women here. She says these projects are improving the quality of life for women and making the city more comfortable. But, the pink parking spots seem to be getting the most attention.

Cho adds the city is also creating more daycare centers for working moms and putting more female taxi drivers on the streets late at night.

Reinforcing stereotypes⁵?
 
But some critics say the Women Friendly program reinforces stereotypical⁶ images of women.
 
Kim Eun Shil lectures in women's studies at Ewha Women's University in Seoul.

"A lot of women cannot wear high heals at work. I think this program should expand the image of woman or should expand the category of woman, but they are really co-opting or collaborating⁷ with the traditional or commercialized image of women," Kim said.

Kim says despite many advances in women's equality in recent years, there are still concerns that are not being sufficiently⁸ addressed by the government.

"But these days actually, sexual violence, or violence itself is not politically taken seriously. Economy I think is sweeping⁹ all social issues in Korea," Kim said. "Everybody is saying that a job is more important than violence." 

And Kim says Seoul's Women Friendly City program, while well-intended, does not go far enough to resolve these issues.

1 metropolises   

n.一国的主要城市（不一定是首都）( metropolis的名词复数 )；中心；大都会；大城市

参考例句：

• That season, you ride it, all metropolises achieve what one wishes! 那时节，您骑上它，一切都会如愿以偿！ 来自互联网
• Carl has carried the banner in infernal metropolises. 卡尔曾经在那些地狱般的大都市流浪街头。 来自互联网

2 bumper   

n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的

参考例句：

• The painting represents the scene of a bumper harvest.这幅画描绘了丰收的景象。
• This year we have a bumper harvest in grain.今年我们谷物丰收。

3 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

4 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

5 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 stereotypical   

n.常规

参考例句：

• Personas should be typical and believable, but not stereotypical. 人物角色应该是典型和可信赖的，但不是一成不变的。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Anything could be stereotypical, so I guess it could be criticism. 任何东西都可以变的老套，所以我猜那就是一种批评。 来自互联网

7 collaborating   

合作( collaborate的现在分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。
• He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福？汤姆逊学习，而且也是在和他合作。

8 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

9 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？