The act of foot binding by Chinese women is a undeniable sign of female oppression because it is forced upon women by the surrounding culture. Women feared social isolation, and family disgrace, as well as a physical handicap that lowered women in comparison to men.
Foot binding is grounded in Chinese culture, “Through foot binding, a plain daughter could be improved, and a pretty one made beautiful”(Gates, 177). Women with unbound feet lost much appeal to not just men, but the entire lineage since marriage