The idea that Mao had regressive views on women should not be shocking in the slightest. Modern women's rights are really really recent developments across the world.
One shocking fact I like to bring up is that women weren't even allowed to own their bank accounts till like the 70s/80s. My mom brings that one up when talking about how much things have changed since her childhood.
But it's also not particularly relevant. People don't listen to Mao for his views on women's rights. It's the same way we don't dismiss electricity just because the society back then owned slaves.
People don't listen to Mao for his views on women's rights
i mean we do, and when he wasn't making 'my wife' jokes his writings & actions were very progressive. the establishment of the PRC is one of the great strides in women's liberation, and was done in no small part by the women of china, with guns, not handed down. full legal equality was instituted in the constitution (and was the practice of the party before that), though bringing that into force took a long time, in such a poor war torn country. patriarchy still remains in the attitudes and actions of the older generations (and i'll lay some shade on Deng for his reforms slowing down and leaving incomplete the work of women's liberation) but China is and has been a better place for women than the west for decades. sorry to pounce on you but the feminist character of the communists is very important and has been so thoroughly slandered by the west, it's important to push back
Creating a cadre of 10k women sending remittances and decreasing population pressure while helping to normalize china's position after some brutal wars is not the worst idea. Especially as far a throwaway jokes go. Since to my knowledge this was a joke made amongst boomers
Modern women's rights are really really recent developments across the world.
Seriously my mom's first own place of residence, she shared with two roommates which, by law at that time, made that technically a brothel liable to be broken up because there was no man living there.