Women Wearing the Wind: The Age of "Independent Women" Opened by Yoko Kirishima in the 1970s (1970s)

Women Wearing the Wind: The Age of "Independent Women" Opened by Yoko Kirishima in the 1970s (1970s)

In the 1970s, Japanese society was at a turning point in its sense of values with the end of its rapid economic growth. As the student movement died down and people talked about individual lifestyles and sexual freedom, the appearance of Yoko Kirishima was symbolic. Through her essays and reports, she conveyed the meaning of women having "their own voice" and living independently. Her frank and realistic words resonated with the era of the women's lib movement, but were more in touch with the realities of life than radicalism. In "Lullaby of the Mothers," Kirishima portrayed a woman's wavering between being a mother and a woman, presenting an image of women that transcended the postwar image of the "good wife and wise mother. Kirishima said, "Freedom means taking charge of one's feelings," and showed the freedom to live in one's everyday choices, rather than making a loud statement. Her way of life gave hope to many women as the prototype of "quiet feminism" in 1970s Japan.