Men around the globe are helping women with their additional responsibilities during the lockdown. From building a ‘Comfort Castle’ to cooking restaurant-style meals, men have really upped their game to lessen the burden for their better halves.
However, the Malaysian government issued an odd series of infographic advisories for women amid the pandemic. Following a national lockdown on March 18, the Ministry of Women and Family Development in Malaysia issued posters on their social media pages, that offered tips for how wives should behave during the lockdown, reports News18.
Reportedly, these steps are supposed to make life easier for couples under the coronavirus lockdown. The posters contained various tips for women on how to lead a happy life with their husbands or partners and avoid arguments, reports Daily Mail. Like, one image showed a couple hanging up clothes together with a caption that advised women to ‘avoid nagging’ while under home quarantine.
Another poster advised women to wear make-up and dress smartly. A post also suggested women to imitate the squeaky voice of the popular cartoon character ‘Doraemon’.
We commend .@KPWKM for their attempt to encourage better family relations during this MCO period. However, we strongly criticise the way the message is imparted. Women should never have to act like 'Doraemon' or childlike to make husbands do chores. It is a shared responsibility. pic.twitter.com/oR3k7YcAfV
— Pakatan Belia Kesaksamaan Gender (@Belia4GE) March 31, 2020
Avoid wearing home clothes. Dress up as usual, put on make-up and dress neatly. OMG! This is what Rina, our Minister of Women, Family & Community Development thinks is important during the #COVID19 lockdown? No tips on how to deal with #DomesticViolence? Just state DV is a crime. pic.twitter.com/FfswtPBIPH
— Honey Tan (@honeyean) March 31, 2020
The Women's Ministry's advice to women during the Covid-19 pandemic is to…..
… Wear make up at home?
This is so important, that they put up an official poster for it?
.. We went from @drwanazizah & @hannahyeoh…. to… this?
I…… don't know what to say anymore…. pic.twitter.com/Hd9csBWBhe
— Nathaniel Tan (@NatAsasi) March 31, 2020
https://twitter.com/SpongeBobCatz/status/1244855737970540547?s=20
Even using their weird logic, I don’t even understand this advice.
Doraemon is a male robot cat. pic.twitter.com/btktDWmpdV
— Syahredzan Johan (@syahredzan) March 31, 2020
While dressing up to work is one way of maintaining discipline and a routine while working from home, the focus on LOOKS, DRESS, and MAKEUP is absolutely unnecessary.
Stop this sexist messaging @KPWKM and focus on #domesticviolence survivors who are at higher risk now! https://t.co/mU7nBqbkgk
— All Women’s Action Society (@AWAMMalaysia) March 31, 2020
The progress of women in Malaysia just took a fucking leap backwards. https://t.co/sleQYYbkr0
— Dr Jason Leong (@DrJasonLeong) March 31, 2020
Overseas friends have contacted me to tell me that we have officially made international headlines with this. The world is fighting a pandemic and here we are asking women to behave like cartoon characters.#WanitaBukanDoraemonhttps://t.co/jiEOytiaP9
— Majidah Hashim (@majidahhashim) March 31, 2020
Following the outrage, the Malaysian government not only issued an apology but also removed the posts from their social media accounts, reports ABC news. “We apologise if some of the tips we shared were inappropriate and touched on the sensitivities of some parties,” the ministry said in a statement.
We’re glad the government realized their mistake because sexism is the last thing we need during these troubled times.