To promote gender equality in the workplace, the Gender Equality Education Committee and the Women's Faculty and Staff Association jointly held a gender mainstreaming lecture at noon on April 16 in the Ching-Sheng International Conference Hall. The first lecture of the series was titled “The Wisdom Journey of Balancing Work and Family: Oh Women!” and was delivered by Professor Yen-Ling Lin from the Department of Economics. During his remarks, Vice President for Administrative Affairs Chun-Hung Lin expressed Tamkang University's strong emphasis on gender equality issues and the provision of various welfare measures, hoping to further promote gender equality in life and the workplace. Dr. Hsiao-Chuan Chen, the Chairperson of the Women's Association and Vice President for International Affairs, mentioned the importance of women balancing work and family responsibilities and hoped that everyone could gain insights from the lecture and apply them effectively in their lives.
Dr. Lin shared about two critical figures in her life: her mother and her husband. She mentioned her preference for short hair since childhood, which often drew criticism from others. “But my mother always respected my choices, allowing me to be myself on my learning journey bravely.” Regarding her husband, Dr. Lin softly said, “I don't understand what he saw in me. How could he accept a girl who looks so masculine?' Later, she realized that her husband valued her inner qualities, not society's perceptions. She considers herself fortunate to have encountered important figures during her growth, which has also transformed her life's journey.
In her career journey, Dr. Lin mentioned that when she applied for a teaching position after obtaining her Ph.D., the first school that accepted her canceled her qualification because she was pregnant, resulting in pregnancy discrimination. However, this incident led her to join the Tamkang family. Regarding her multiple roles, she believes, “Life doesn't require everything to be sorted out before each task is completed. I choose to multitask and proceed simultaneously, which modern women can do.” Finally, she encouraged colleagues at present not to reject what they love because of societal norms. “Be brave to pursue what you want because gender should not make a difference.”
Ms. Yi-Lan Yue, the head of the Vocational Training and Welfare Section of the Human Resources Office, believes that “time management” is a crucial key to balancing work and family life. From the speaker's experience, it is evident that managing both work and family responsibilities is not easy for women. She expressed gratitude for the speaker's insights, emphasizing that better performance can be achieved through effective time management. This event was jointly organized by the Women's Association and the Gender Equality Education Committee to promote gender equality concepts. Finally, women were encouraged to pursue self-improvement and actively strive for their rights. As long as they have the ability, they should make efforts to pursue their goals.
