The Three Rules of Obedience for Women in China

“A woman must obey her father before marriage (未嫁从父), she must obey her husband after marriage (既嫁从夫)
and she should also obey her sons after the death of her husband (夫死从子)“ ~ Confucius

What is a woman to do if all the men in her life pass away?
Who is she supposed to obey then?

In the 1950′s, women made substantial gains out of the home and into the labor force after the liberation of China. By law, Mao assured that women have equal rights in education, marriage, politics and economy—a huge leap forward from where they were before. Women take on the “double shifts”—managing household work and child-rearing plus earning a living and engaging in politics—often with little resources and social support, especially in the rural areas. This multitasking is like having “women holding up two skies”— which many working women all over the world can relate to.

Do women in some parts of the world still bound by such sexist traditions? What are they doing to overcome them? How can we help?