boys over girls

Went for my sister's prize giving ceremony in school today and remembered I went up the same stage when I was in Primary Two for getting 2nd in English for my level that year.

I was in 2nd place together with another classmate. But there was only one prize for 2nd place! There's still one more prize for a 3rd place though. Strangely, the teachers didn't invite the student who scored 3rd position for English. Instead, they told me while we were lined up for the stage that my classmate would be in 2nd place and I'll get 3rd.

Why? Because he's a guy and I'm a girl.

This would have not cut it today. But my mom and I were surprised but didn't say anything. 90s in Singapore was an ambivalent but gradual shift away from the Asian practice of valuing boys over girls. When I was little, I never got to eat a drumstick as my parents would give them to my two brothers. One day, I got upset and said that they were biased. They took my youngest brother's drumstick (poor him) and passed it to me but I refused and sulked in a corner. From then on, I got to eat drumsticks!

Just a little funny story. I don't care now that I had believed the teachers in all my bright-eyed innocence that it was right for me to be 'demoted', since I was doing well and I was recognized for it. I wonder how the person who should have got 3rd place felt...he/she wasn't acknowledged at all!

Oh, how times have changed!