Dimensional Bookstore

Because of the bad weather and the fact that it had just opened, there were not many customers in Kaiming Bookstore. Many people came in out of curiosity and left after taking a look.

Le Jing was not upset about this. After all, except for Linda, who was well-dressed and obviously from the upper class, the other customers were all dressed simply, and there were even ragged homeless people. Many of them were illiterate and hungry. How could they buy books?

Le Jing had discovered the underdevelopment of the cultural industry in this world. Just like London a hundred years ago, knowledge was monopolized by the upper class and some middle classes, and the literacy rate of civilians was not high. Reading was a luxury hobby for the rich.

Le Jing felt that he was not badly lucky because he soon met an interesting soul.

It was almost evening at that time, and the streets were still brightly lit. The invention of electric lights completely liberated mankind from the endless darkness. There was still thick smog outside. If he was not allowed to go out, this smoky picture would still be quite artistic. Just then, the lady walked in.

This is a very special lady. It's not that she is plainly dressed and without makeup, but that she has a pair of very special eyes. Perseverance, strength, sharpness, and unyieldingness, this is the look of a warrior.

"Hello." The 'warrior' spoke, "Are you the boss here?"

Le Jing stood up and nodded, "Yes, I am. How can I help you?"

"My name is Marie Beauvoir. I'm here to sell you a book." Before Le Jing could reply, she handed the book in her hand to Le Jing and said quickly, "I hope you can sell this book in the store."

Le Jing borrowed the book and glanced at the cover: "The Dilemma of Women", and asked curiously: "What is this book about?"

A book about women not being someone's appendage, and women should have the same rights as men, Mary answered silently in her heart.

If she told the boss this, this conservative Oriental would immediately treat her as a psychopath and drive her out, just like the previous shop owners.

So Mary pursed her dry lips and asked Le Jing another question: "Sir, what do you think of your mother?"

Le Jing was stunned for a moment and said lightly: "Probably a very good person."

"So what is your standard for judging whether a woman is good or bad? Able to do housework? Considerate to her husband? Virtuous? Or frugal and thrifty?" Mary's question was almost aggressive, and there seemed to be a flame burning in her eyes.

Le Jing looked at Mary in surprise: "Of course not, why do you think so? Women also have their own lives, why should they be tied to the family."

Mary was stunned.

This was the 48th bookstore she visited. Before that, she ran through all the blocks in Bruce City and promoted her self-published books to every bookstore owner. Men ridiculed her and laughed at her, and even women looked at her with distrust, as if she was an indecent woman. If the doubts and oppositions from men only made her angry, then the opposition and attacks from the same sex made her more desperate.

But Mary is not a woman who gives up easily. If she were, she would not have written "The Dilemma of Women" to express her own views.

She had not met a man who agreed that women also have their own lives for a long time.

For a moment, she could hardly believe her ears.

She tried to suppress her inner excitement and asked calmly: "So, what do you think about women's participation in work?"

"This is a woman's choice." Le Jing said, "Women can choose to work or not. This is a choice of their free will. No one can deprive this right."

What else does Le Jing not understand?

If you think about it carefully, the 20th century was also the period when the feminist movement began to grow and develop. It was not until 1920 that the US Constitution stipulated that women had the same right to vote as men, and it was in 1944 in France. As for Britain, which is very similar to the Sede Empire, it was only after World War I that women's suffrage was gradually recognized.

It can be said that compared with human history, the feminist movement is very young. Countless women have been imprisoned on this road, countless women have died of depression, countless women have fought and fought, and used their better performance than men to gain the "privileges" of a patriarchal society... Only then did they finally get a society where every woman can enjoy all the civil rights in the legal sense.

Le Ling commented pointedly: [You humans are really narrow-minded. Gender discrimination and gender stereotypes will only breed prejudice and closure, and will not help the development of social civilization. ]

Le Jing communicated with Le Ling in his mind: 'Feminist Simone de Beauvoir once said in The Second Sex: A person is not born a woman, she becomes a woman. The same is true for men. In my opinion, the so-called gender concepts of men and women are nothing more than products created by human society. Women and men are both lives created by sperm and eggs. No one is nobler than the other, and no one is better at doing something than the other, because men and women are all human beings. '

[I agree with this point. After all, I am not a human being. I am genderless. ]

'What a coincidence, I am also genderless. '

[Eh? How could it be? Le Jing, aren't you a man?】Le Ling raised a surprised question.

Le Jing explained: ‘That’s my biological sex. Everyone actually has three genders, biological sex, social gender, and self-perceived gender. My biological sex and social gender are both male, and my self-perceived gender is genderless, so I am genderless. I was a genderless person first, and then became a genderless person. ’

Le Ling hummed, not quite understanding, and sighed: [You humans are really complicated]

Le Jing also sighed: ‘Yes, humans are very complicated creatures. ’

…

Mary looked at the young Oriental in shock, her lips trembling and unable to speak, she even felt the long-lost tears.

Perhaps what she wanted most was just respect. Respect for women’s right to think rationally and make choices. Too many people, men or women, think that women should not be educated, women can only think emotionally and never rationally, women are just appendages of men, women can never make decisions on their own, so men must help them... Such remarks surround her all the time. She lives on an isolated island, she has few companions, and she is surrounded by enemies.

She knew that this Oriental man was different from others. He regarded her as an equal individual. She could not see any contempt in his eyes. On the contrary, he respected her and understood her.

"You understand me, right?" Mary asked with tears in her eyes.

"I respect you, ma'am." Le Jing said sincerely: "Any pioneer who wants to go against the current deserves respect, because it requires great courage and perseverance."

Such straightforward praise made Marie de Beauvoir blush a little, but she was a strong and tough woman after all. She quickly put away her excitement and restored her calmness when they met. "So, are you willing to sell this book in the bookstore?"

"Of course, it's my honor." Le Jing smiled with respect for this female pioneer in her heart, "and I am also happy to read it. Is this your work?"

"Yes." Mary nodded in acknowledgement. She didn't use a pen name, and the author's name was directly her name. There was nothing to hide. "If it's convenient, I will send the remaining books tomorrow, about 50 books, is that okay?"

"I want to say yes, but..." Le Jing smiled bitterly, "I may not have the money to pay you for the time being."

Hearing this, this serious and reserved woman finally smiled for the first time since they met: "I don't want money. I didn't write this for money at all. I just hope that through this book, more women will know that their usual life is wrong, and they should have the same rights as men under the law. I hope you can give the book to your female customers."

Le Jing looked at this respectable lady with appreciation.

Maybe she will become a big figure in history, maybe she will be imprisoned, maybe she will be buried in the sea of ​​clouds in history, but no matter what, it is undeniable that she is doing the right thing.

There are too few people in the world who can always insist on doing the right thing, and every one less is a loss to mankind.

"I have a book here that you might like. The author has the same last name as you."

"Oh? What book?"

"The Second Sex, written by Simone de Beauvoir."

Let him help her.

Let's see what kind of flowers this seed that has just begun to sprout can bloom.

The author has something to say:

Marie de Beauvoir is named after two famous feminists in history, Mary Wollstonecraft and Simone de Beauvoir. The former's representative work is A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: On the Political and Moral Questions, and the latter is the author of the famous The Second Sex. They are both outstanding women. If you are interested, you can go and read their books.