This research examines how the switchboard operator became a career for women in Taiwan under Japanese rule, who could be qualified, and why the public generally thought this occupation particularly suitable for women. Furthermore, this article notes what the particularities and differences of this profession were in colonial Taiwan in comparison to other countries.
The switchboard operator, koukanshu, was a disappeared occupation today, but in the past it was usually for a career women. This technology was first introduced to Taiwan by the Japanese colonial government in the late nineteenth century. It was soon opened to the public in 1900 and developed into a flourishing industry business. Consequently, an entirely new occupation for women, the switchboard operators, was rapidly developed, and a number of very young girls were recruited during the colonial period. This occupation thus illustrates the intriguing relations and interactions between gender, career, and society.
This article first analyzes the reasons that the colonial authority employed women as the switchboard operators. From the beginning, women had comprised the majority gender of operators in Taiwan. Second, this research analyzes the qualifications, opportunities, and socio-economic status of operators. This part of the article focuses on the numbers of Taiwanese women who were able to enter the workforce whereas even while Japanese were the main group in this job. Using the stories of former operators, this article then highlights their motivations, wages, and career development as well. This article concludes with an analysis of the gender and social interactions between the female switchboard operators and the public.