Did you greet your neighborhood “cat lady” today?
How do you think community cats - often known as stray cats - can inspire fundamental societal change? On May 30th the professional network The Gallery had an inspirational talk by skilled journalist and critic Nemo Kim.
Nemo Kim is Korean, but grew up in the UK and the Middle East. Now she splits her time between Seoul and California and this gives her a unique inside/outside perspective on both Korea and Britain. Thus, she often sees dynamics that others may not. As a journalist for respected international media, she uses her voice to inspire change.
In Korea, as is the case in many places around the world, there are many community cats. You might not know what a ‘community cat’ is but Nemo Kim very deliberately uses this term instead of “stray cats” or “street cats”. This is because the latter has a negative connotation whereas the term ‘community’ cat emphasizes their place in our community and helps to promote humane treatment. As a journalist Nemo Kim knows that language matters, thus the case of the community cats becomes an image of a general societal issue. So read along into the world of the cats on the streets and how our approach can be the seed of change.
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Cats are not native to Korea. Cats were imported to help with pest control, however, as technology made them redundant, they were abandoned to fend for themselves. For better or worse, they are now a part of our ecosystem and humans actively chose this. In Korea there are many cats who live on the streets. In fact it is estimated that there are around 200.000 cats living on the streets of Seoul alone.
In most neighborhoods of Seoul you will therefore find people who care for the community cats. They put out shelter and food and the majority who do so are women. In daily terms you would probably call them cat ladies, but you might want to alter that term to community cat caretakers.
Sometimes, the cats and their volunteer caretakers become targets of disrespect and sometimes even violence. There have been cases where cats have been tortured and then killed and these sadistic acts have garnered praise in some online forums. Subsequently, the people who take care of the cats have also faced harassment and threats.
Here you might think that this is a minor issue that these are just cats. However, as humans introduced cats to urban environments, we have a responsibility to manage their populations humanely. This involves recognizing their hardships and supporting those who care for them.
Recognizing cats as part of the neighborhood fosters empathy and responsibility. Caring for community cats creates a sense of community and teaches empathy and respect for urban ecosystems. Education can spread these values, promoting a more compassionate society. On the other hand, it is very well documented that acts of violence against cats have been spreading across the country.
Thus, turning a blind eye to this level of violence against these cats and the harassment of the women who care for them becomes a symbol of a bigger societal problem. In Nemo's analysis, the women who choose to take care of cats mirror the general debates on gender equality in Korea. For some men, the thought of women caring for cats instead of family or a husband challenges the status quo, and for others the fact that some women even have this free time to spend is unfair. Some even think they have the right to lash out when they come across women alone on the streets and this is also a symptom of the general frustration of the perpetrators. This is reflected in online harassment and threats from anti-women groups, perpetuating a harmful cycle of discrimination.
As such, this seemingly minor social issue dovetails into larger, much more complex social issues. This toxic attitude erodes societal compassion. But there is some good news which is inspiring change. Caring for the cats and supporting the community cat caregivers is a feasible way to start the change. It may seem like a micro change but it comes with great potential. Taking care of community cats reflects broader values of environmental stewardship and social justice. By showing kindness to these animals, we cultivate respect for all living things and address larger societal issues.
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By finding these topics for change and writing about them, Nemo herself inspires change. The stories she chooses to write about uncovers or sheds light to areas that might not be discussed otherwise. As such, she educates the world but also presents Korea with a mirror as they read about themselves in international media.
Recognising our own role in the structures that created the problem in the first place - like the cats even being in Korea and then taking responsibility and choosing to cultivate values of respect and empathy - could be transferred to many social issues across the globe. Pinning it down to a conversation about the community cats gives us a language to talk about in a very practical way and sends us daily reminders as we meet our community cats on the streets.
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