Latest news with #youngwomen
New York Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Live Updates: South Koreans Are Voting For President After Months of Tumult
Many young women joined the rallies calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment after he imposed martial law on South Korea in December. Young South Korean women are often dismissed by men as apolitical, but they were prominent in the movement to impeach former President Yoon Suk Yeol, whom they accused of encouraging contempt and even hatred for them. They were among the first to take to the streets to condemn Mr. Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law in December, enlivening large rallies with K-pop songs and glow sticks. But as South Korea prepares to elect Mr. Yoon's replacement on June 3, many women say their priorities — making the country safer and fairer for them — are taking a back seat, and not for the first time. They endure some of the worst gender-based discrimination in the developed world, including lower pay and underrepresentation in management and politics, as well as rampant online sexual abuse that the law has done little to stop. But addressing such issues has become one of South Korea's most politically delicate subjects. With the economy in a slump and jobs scarce, many young men consider themselves victims of reverse discrimination and bristle at any hint of a feminist agenda in government. Mr. Yoon and his right-wing People Power Party leveraged such sentiments to win the young male vote, and the presidency, in 2022. During the campaign, he said there was no structural discrimination against women in South Korea. Lee Jae-myung, who lost that election to Mr. Yoon by a razor-thin margin, has a substantial lead in the polls this time. But though he has recognized the 'leading role' that young women played in Mr. Yoon's ouster, Mr. Lee and his left-wing Democratic Party are being careful not to provoke male voters with messages that could be seen as feminist. Image Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to Mr. Yoon, has a substantial polling lead in the June 3 election to replace him. Credit... Chang W. Lee/The New York Times As a result, neither Mr. Lee nor his conservative main rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, is saying much about women's issues. Some women have concluded that nothing will change, regardless of who wins. 'We only have poor options in this election,' said Park Jia, who leads a gender equality education center run by the Seoul Women's Association. 'Sure, many women will vote for Lee Jae-myung — not because they expect him to be a great leader for women, but because they are desperate to keep the other side, the conservatives, from power and stop the regression.' On average, South Korean women are paid 31 percent less than men, the widest gap in the developed world. They hold less than one-fifth of legislative seats, just three of the government's 29 top positions and 14.6 percent of senior corporate management roles (the average among wealthy nations is 33.8 percent). All six presidential candidates are men. The country's only female president, the conservative Park Geun-hye, was impeached in 2016. Many women who joined the rallies that precipitated her ouster said they wanted to drive out a corrupt leader, but they also hoped for a president who would do more to protect them from violent crime and online misogyny. Moon Jae-in, who was elected to replace Ms. Park, promised to be a 'feminist president.' But he did not live up to that moniker. An anti-feminist backlash, part of a global trend, kicked in, driven largely by conservative Christian churches and young men. 'Feminist' is now such a forbidden word that some women are afraid to use it in online profiles. Some are even reluctant to take women's studies classes, fearing that they will be targeted for abuse. As part of his bid for young men's votes in 2022, Mr. Yoon promised to abolish the ministry of gender equality. He did not follow through, but during his presidency, the national gender equality index, which the ministry has compiled since 2010, fell for the first time. When Mr. Yoon declared martial law, women were ready to strike back. Image A protest against Mr. Yoon in central Seoul in December. Women accused him of fanning misogynistic sentiment to win the young male vote in 2022. Credit... Chang W. Lee/The New York Times 'For us, it was very personal,' said Jang Hyun-ji, 28, a digital comics artist. 'We joined the rallies against him not only because his martial law undermined our democracy, but also because he became president by encouraging hatred and discrimination against women.' Women in their 20s were the most highly represented group in the rallies calling for Mr. Yoon's ouster, while men of that age were largely 'silent' and 'cynical,' Hanna Kim, a political scientist at Chinju National University of Education, said in a study published by the East Asia Institute. Young women channeled their K-pop fandom into political activism, supplanting the refrains of hit songs with slogans like 'Out, Out, Yoon Suk Yeol Out!' 'His impeachment was a victory for women, proof that women have become a leading force in society,' said Park Min-ju, 27, a rally M.C. who interspersed protest music with K-pop. After Mr. Yoon was driven out — the National Assembly impeached him in December, and a court formally removed him last month — women demanded their dividend. Rights groups called on the new government to fill half of its decision-making positions with women. They also wanted more government support for child care, since women are often forced to leave work to care for their children. But for the major presidential candidates, such concerns have been sidelined by the need to chase the elusive, and sharply divided, youth vote. Mr. Lee's popularity is lowest among men in their 20s and Mr. Kim's among women in their 20s, according to surveys. But there are also more swing voters among young adults than any other demographic. Image Campaign banners in Seoul. None of the presidential candidates have said much about the discrimination and misogyny faced by women. Credit... Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images Mr. Lee has been careful not to say anything that could galvanize anti-feminist emotions. Some of his campaign promises are aimed at helping women, like tougher punishments for dating violence and digital sex crimes, as well as police hotlines for women who own small businesses like shops and restaurants. Mr. Lee has also said he would require corporations to make gender-based disparities public, including pay gaps. But Mr. Lee has been silent about some of the top priorities among women's groups, such as anti-discrimination legislation and expanding the definition of rape to include sex without consent (currently, the law requires violence or explicit coercion). 'His strategy is to ignore the gender equality agenda, because he sees it as a stumbling block against his election,' the Korea Women's Political Network, a feminist civic group, said in a statement. Mr. Lee has denied such accusations. He has acknowledged that women face structural discrimination, and he has vowed to create more jobs, saying it would ease the economic stress that fuels gender conflict among young South Koreans. If young female voters are less than satisfied with Mr. Lee, many see Mr. Kim as a worse choice. Image Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, campaigning in Seoul this month. Credit... Anthony Wallace/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Mr. Kim says he will seek 'gender equality in military service' by letting more women join the armed forces. He wants young men to get workplace benefits after they finish their mandatory military service. To boost South Korea's low birthrate, Mr. Kim has promised tax breaks and more affordable child care and housing for young people who marry and have children. But women have bristled at appeals from the government to have children, given the difficulty of pursuing both motherhood and a career. Mr. Kim once addressed the birthrate issue by saying that South Korean women would rather take care of a dog than have a baby. He has also been criticized for recruiting a campaign organizer with a reputation for being anti-feminist. Many women say there is no one in the race who clearly deserves their support. 'Women like me will never vote for the candidate of the People Power Party,' said Jeong Eun-byeol, a college student. 'That makes the Democratic Party treat us like fish already caught.' Still, some are willing to give Mr. Lee the benefit of the doubt. 'We don't have any option other than to trust and vote for him,' said Kim Do-won, 28. 'If he is not doing well after his election, we can protest again.'
Forbes
a day ago
- General
- Forbes
Breast Cancer In Young Women: How The Medical Community Can Help
Paula Schneider is President and CEO of Susan G. Komen, one of the world's leading breast cancer organizations. getty We've celebrated incredible triumphs in the fight against breast cancer. Breakthroughs in technology, precision therapies and heightened awareness have undeniably transformed outcomes and saved countless lives. Yet, there's a growing trend that can't be ignored: a disturbing rise in breast cancer diagnoses among young women. In fact, for women between the ages of 20 and 49, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Between 2012 and 2021, breast cancer incidence increased by 1.4% annually among women ages 20 to 49—a faster rise than in older age groups. Over 13,000 women 39 and under were diagnosed in 2024. Yet most people still associate breast cancer with women over 50. After all, the median age for a breast cancer diagnosis is 63, and screening guidelines for mammograms don't start until age 40. As a result, countless younger women don't realize they're high-risk and don't qualify for early screening, leading to later-stage diagnoses and lower survival rates. Every population faces unique challenges when it comes to breast cancer, and young women are no exception. Cancers in younger patients are often more aggressive. Treatment may impact fertility or family planning, and navigating a complex healthcare system while managing careers, families and finances adds even more pressure. And for young women of color or those in underserved communities, barriers to care are often even greater. We hear time and again from young women that when they approach their care teams with concerns about breast cancer, their concerns are brushed aside. It's our responsibility to rethink the status quo. Early detection saves lives—and that means starting with education and proactive conversations with young adult female patients as early as possible. The first step? Encourage them to dig into their family history. If there's a history of breast or ovarian cancer or a known BRCA gene mutation, individuals could benefit from genetic counseling and testing. These tools can provide powerful insight and guide decisions about screening and prevention. Even without a known family history, helping them understand their personal risk matters. Tools like the IBIS tool can help providers assess an individual's risk of developing breast cancer based on key factors—age, race and ethnicity, menstrual history, reproductive history, family history and previous biopsies. These risk assessments allow doctors to recommend a personalized screening plan, which might include mammograms before age 40 or supplemental imaging such as breast MRIs. After all, personalized medicine is still the ideal future state of healthcare. But it doesn't stop at risk. Young women need support navigating the unique emotional and physical toll of a diagnosis. They need answers, reassurance and someone in their corner. They need to know that it's okay to push for second opinions and to advocate for themselves to get the care they need. It's one reason why we're so committed to providing that same support at Susan G. Komen—whether through education, advocacy or our Patient Care Center. While we're working to educate people about their risk for breast cancer, there is a clear need for more and better research on the causes and unique circumstances of breast cancer in young women. We need researchers studying the causes for this uptick in diagnoses and how to best detect and treat these breast cancers. We are funding several researchers investigating the causes and burden of breast cancer in young women, including one of our chief scientific advisors, but we need more funding and the support of the research community to truly help understand this phenomenon. It's also important to recognize that not all young women have equal access to care. Many face systemic and financial hurdles—delays caused by insurance restrictions, lack of access to specialized care or limited availability of diagnostic imaging. Of course, this isn't limited to the younger population. In fact, despite all we've learned about breast cancer, today, only about 50% of women over 40 are getting their yearly mammograms. This is one reason awareness is still so important every October, even after all these years. It's also why we must continue to push for legislation that removes these barriers and makes screening and care accessible to everyone who needs it. Breast cancer doesn't care how old we are. It doesn't wait for life to settle down or for science to catch up. And while we can't always prevent a diagnosis, we can prepare young women to take control of their health through honest conversations, understanding risk, providing more personalized care and demanding equity in access. The rising rates of breast cancer among young women should serve as a wake-up call—not just for the medical community, but for all of us. Women deserve to be seen, heard and cared for, regardless of their age, race or zip code. Let's make sure they are. Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify?
Japan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
How social media can 'trigger' eating disorders in young people
Social media can push vulnerable young people toward developing eating disorders by glorifying thinness and promoting fake, dangerous advice about diet and nutrition, experts warn. Young women and girls are much more likely to suffer from illnesses such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, though rates among men have been increasing. Research has shown the percentage of people worldwide who have had some kind of eating disorder during their lives rose from 3.5% in 2000 to 7.8% in 2018, a time frame that captures the rise of social media.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Gold and other precious metals leak from Earth's core and reach the surface
Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. For a long time, there has been a missing puzzle piece in Jerusalem's history. Though ancient texts offered some clues, an archaeological record of the city during the Early Hellenistic Period, from 332 to 141 BC, was largely absent — until now. Excavators at the Jerusalem Walls National Park unearthed two child-size gold rings set with shiny red gemstones from a dig site within less than a year. Both pieces of jewelry were in such good condition that at first glance, archaeologists thought they were modern. Now, they believe the 2,300-year-old rings were intentionally buried by young women as part of a coming-of-age ritual before marriage. Together, the rings and other objects from the excavations are painting a more detailed portrait of a period of Greek influence in Jerusalem's history. Speaking of precious caches, most of Earth's gold lies trapped in the planet's seething, molten core. But a new analysis of volcanic rocks in Hawaii suggests gold and other precious metals such as platinum are escaping into the mantle. Within the rock samples, researchers saw traces of a silver-gray metal about as rare as gold that was likely more abundant in Earth's early building materials when the core developed about 4.5 billion years ago. As volcanic islands form, gold and other metals eventually make their way to the surface — and more will probably emerge in Earth's crust if the metallic core is still leaking, researchers say. SpaceX's ninth test flight of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, lifted off Tuesday reusing a Super Heavy booster for the first time. The spacecraft made it farther than it had during the past two tests but failed to achieve key objectives, including deploying dummy satellites that went along for the ride and reigniting its engines in space. Mission controllers lost contact with Starship, and the spacecraft spun out of control on reentry to Earth. Sharks usually prefer dining alone. But observers captured footage of at least 12 sharks from two distinct species sharing a feast for more than eight hours off the coast of Hawaii's Big Island. Astronomers have detected an unusual object known as ASKAP J1832-0911 emitting flashes of radio waves every 44 minutes — and it may be a new entry in a class of recently discovered mysterious objects called long-period transients. The object is releasing not only radio pulses but also powerful X-rays that NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory happened to observe. The high-energy X-rays are what sets ASKAP J1832-0911 apart from other cosmic phenomena. 'This object is unlike anything we have seen before,' said Dr. Andy Wang, an associate lecturer at the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy in Australia. Excavations in Luxor have uncovered three tombs in an ancient Egyptian burial complex. Located in a cemetery called Dra' Abu el-Naga, which was reserved for prominent nonroyals, the burial chambers date to the New Kingdom, which lasted from around 1539 to 1077 BC. Painted figures, hieroglyphs and inscriptions found inside the tombs helped researchers determine the names and occupations of those laid to rest there. Catch up on the latest stories: — Sixteen states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, asking a federal judge to end new policies by the National Science Foundation. Tasked with advancing scientific discoveries, the agency is halting millions of dollars' worth of research across the country. — Researchers say they now know what the massive megalodon really ate to meet its 100,000-calorie daily requirement. — China's Tianwen-2 mission is on a quest to land on an asteroid that might be a chunk of the moon and then fly by an 'active asteroid' trailing dusty, comet-like tails. — A roughly 43,000-year-old fingerprint, which appears to mark where a nose should be on a rock resembling a face, adds to evidence that ancient human ancestors were capable of creating art. Forensic police helped unravel the mystery of who made the print. Like what you've read? Oh, but there's more. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt and Jackie Wattles. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
They helped oust a president - now South Korean women say they are invisible again
An Byunghui was in the middle of a video game on the night of 3 December when she learned that the South Korean president had declared martial law. She couldn't quite believe it - until the internet blew up with the evidence. The shock announcement from then-president Yoon Suk Yeol, the now-famous shots of soldiers breaking down the windows of the National Assembly and MPs scaling the walls to force their way into the building so they could vote the motion down. Within hours, thousands had spurred into protest, especially young women. And Byunghui joined them, travelling hundreds of miles from Daegu in the south-east to the capital Seoul. They turned up not just because Yoon's decision had alarmed and angered them, but to protest against a president who insisted South Korea was free of sexism - despite the deep discrimination and flashes of violence that said otherwise. They returned week after week as the investigation into Yoon's abuse of power went on - and they rejoiced when he was impeached after four dramatic months. And yet, with the country set to elect a new president on 3 June, those very women say they feel invisible again. The two main candidates have been largely silent about equality for women. A polarising subject, it had helped Yoon into power in 2022 as he vowed to defend men who felt sidelined in a world that they saw as too feminist. And a third candidate, who is popular among young men for his anti-feminist stance, has been making headlines. For many young South Korean women, this new name on the ballot symbolises a new fight. "So many of us felt like we were trying to make the world a better place by attending the [anti-Yoon] rallies," the 24-year-old college student says. "But now, I wonder if anything has really improved… I can't shake the feeling that they're trying to erase women's voices." When Byunghui arrived at the protests, she was struck by the atmosphere. The bitter December cold didn't stop tens of thousands of women from gathering. Huddling inside hooded jackets or under umbrellas, waving lightsticks and banners, singing hopeful K-pop numbers, they demanded Yoon's ouster. "Most of those around me were young women, we were singing 'Into the World' by Girls' Generation," Byunghui says. Into the World, a hit from 2007 by one of K-pop's biggest acts, became an anthem of sorts in the anti-Yoon rallies. Women had marched to the same song nearly a decade ago in anti-corruption protests that ended another president's career. "The lyrics - about not giving up on this world and dreaming of a new world," Byunghui says, "just overwhelmed me. I felt so close to everyone". There are no official estimates of how many of the protesters were young women. Approximately one in three were in their 20s or 30s, according to research by local news outlet Chosun Daily. An analysis by BBC Korean found that women in their 20s were the largest demographic at one rally in December, where there were 200,000 of them - almost 18% of those in attendance. In comparison, there were just over 3% of men in their 20s at that rally. The protests galvanised women in a country where discrimination, sexual harassment and even violence against them has long been pervasive, and the gender pay gap - at 31% - is the widest among rich nations. Like in so many other places, plummeting birth rates in South Korea too have upped the pressure on young women to marry and have children, with politicians often encouraging them to play their part in a patriarchal society. "I felt like all the frustration that has built up inside me just burst forth," says 23-year-old Kim Saeyeon . "I believe that's why so many young women turned up. They wanted to express all that dissatisfaction." For 26-year-old Lee Jinha, it was the desire to see Yoon go: "I tried to go every week. It wasn't easy. It was incredibly cold, super crowded, my legs hurt and I had a lot of work to do… but it was truly out of a sense of responsibility." That is not surprising, according to Go Min-hee, associate professor of political science at Ewha Women's University, who says Yoon had the reputation of being "anti-feminist" and had "made it clear he was not going to support policies for young women". There were protests on the other side too, backing Yoon and his martial law order. Throughout, many young South Korean men have supported Yoon, who positioned himself as a champion of theirs, mirroring their grievances in his presidential campaign in 2022. These men consider themselves victims of "reverse discrimination", saying they feel marginalised by policies that favour young women. One that is often cited is the mandatory 18 months they must spend in the military, which they believe puts them at a severe disadvantage compared to women. They label as "man haters" those women who call themselves feminists. And they have been at the heart of a fierce online backlash against calls for greater gender equality. These groups have long existed, mostly out of the public eye. But over the years they moved closer to the mainstream as their traction online grew, especially under Yoon. It was them that Yoon appealed to in his campaign pledges, vowing to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, saying it focused too much on women's rights. And he consistently denied systemic gender inequality existed in South Korea, which ranks near the bottom on the issue among developed countries. But his message hit home. A survey by a local newspaper the year before he was elected had found that 79% of young men in their 20s felt "seriously discriminated against" because of their gender. "In the last presidential election, gender conflict was mobilised by Yoon's party," says Kim Eun-ju, director of the Center for Korean Women and Politics. "They actively strengthened the anti-feminist tendencies of some young men in their 20s." During Yoon's term, she says, government departments or publicly-funded organisations with the word "women" in their title largely disappeared or dropped the reference altogether. The impact has been polarising. It alienated young women who saw this as a rollback of hard-won rights, even as it fuelled the backlash against feminism. Byunghui saw this up-close back home in Daegu. She says anti-Yoon protests were overwhelmingly female. The few men who came were usually older. Young men, she adds, even secondary school students, would often drive past the protests she attended cursing and swearing at them. She says some men even threatened to drive into the crowd. "I wondered if they would have acted this way had the protest been led by young men?" With Yoon gone, his People Power Party (PPP) is in disarray and still reeling from his fall. And this is the first time in 18 years that there is no woman among the seven candidates runnning for president. "It's shocking," Jinha says, "that there's no-one". In the last election, there were two women among 14 presidential candidates. The PPP's Kim Moon-soo is trailing frontrunner Lee Jae-myung, from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). But young women tell the BBC they have been disappointed by 61-year-old Lee. "It's only after criticism that that there were no policies targeting women that the DP began adding a few," Saeyeon says. "I wish they could have drawn a blueprint for improving structural discrimination." When he was asked at the start of his campaign about policies targeting gender inequality, Lee responded: "Why do you keep dividing men and women? They are all Koreans." After drawing critcism, the DP acknowledged that women still "faced structural discrimination in many areas". And it pledged to tackle inequality for women with more resources at every level. During his presidential bid in 2022, Lee was more vocal about the prejudice South Korean women encounter, seeking their votes in the wake of high-profile sexual harassment scandals in his party. He had promised to put women in top positions in the government and appointed a woman as co-chair of the DP's emergency committee. "It's evident that the DP is focusing significantly less on young women than they did in the [2022] presidential election," Ms Kim says. Prof Go believes it's because Lee "lost by a very narrow margin" back then. So this time, he is "casting the widest net possible" for votes. "And embracing feminist issues is not a good strategy for that." That stings for young women like Saeyeon, especially after the role they played in the protests calling for Yoon's impeachment: "Our voices don't seem to be reflected in the [campaign] pledges at all. I feel a bit abandoned." The ruling party's Kim Moon-soo, who served in Yoon's cabinet as labour minister, has emphasised raising birth rates by offering more financial support to parents. But many women say rising costs are not the only obstacle. And that most politicians don't address the deeper inequalities - which make it hard to balance a career and family - that are making so many women reconsider the usual choices. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which Yoon had wanted to shut down, has also re-emerged as a sticking point. Lee has vowed to strengthen the ministry, while Kim says he will replace it with a Ministry of Future Youth and Family. The ministry already focuses on family services, education and welfare for children. Just under 7% of its total funding, which is about 0.2% of the government's annual budget, goes towards improving equality for women. But Prof Go says the ministry was "politicised by Yoon and has since been weaponised". "The ministry itself is not huge but it's symbolic… abolishing it would show that gender equality is unimportant." It's also the target of a third candidate, 40-year-old Lee Jun-seok, a former leader of Yoon's party, who has since launched his own Reform Party. Although trailing Kim in polls, Lee Jun-seok has been especially popular with many young men for his anti-feminist views. Earlier this week, he drew swift outrage after a presidential debate in which he said: "If someone says they want to stick chopsticks in women's genitals or some place like that, is that misogyny?" He said the "someone" was frontunner Lee Jae-myung's son, who he claimed made the comment online, an allegation which the Lee camp has sidestepped, apologising for other controversial posts. But watching Lee Jun-seok say that on live TV "was genuinely terrifying," Byunghui says. "I had the scary thought that this might boost incel communities." Saeyeon describes "anger and even despair" sinking the "hopes I had for politics, which weren't that great to begin with". She believes his popularity "among certain sections of young men is one of the "significant repercussions" of South Korea "long neglecting structural discrimination" against women. The only candidate to address the issue, 61-year-old Kwon Young-gook, didn't fare well in early polling. "I'm still deliberating whether to vote for Lee Jae-myung or Kwon Young-gook," Saeyeon says. While Kwon represents her concerns, she says it's smart to shore up the votes for Lee because she is "much more afraid of the next election, and the one after that". She is thinking about Lee Jun-seok, who some analysts believe could eat into the votes of a beleagured PPP, while appealing to Yoon's base: "He is in the spotlight and as the youngest candidate, he could have a long career ahead." That is all the more reason to keep speaking out, Byunghui says. "It's like there is dust on the wall. If you don't know it's there, you can walk by, but once you see it, it sticks with you." It's the same for Jinha who says things can "never go back to how they were before Yoon declared martial law". That was a time when poliitics felt inaccessible, but now, Jinha adds, it "feels like something that affects me and is important to my life". She says she won't give up because she wants to be free of "things like discrimination at work… and live my life in peace". "People see young women as weak and immature but we will grow up - and then the world will change again." How political chaos helped forge South Korea's presidential frontrunner What you need to know ahead of South Korea's snap presidential election Why South Korean women aren't having babies
