Boyfriend Rentals

[Guest]

Damn...wonder how much a 44 year old white old guy like me could make over there? Hmmmmmmm

[FunValerie 8573]

In China, men outnumber women. The trend should be towards rental girlfriends.

[cyclo 30131]

In China, men outnumber women. The trend should be towards rental girlfriends.

 

I originally posted this just for a bit of fun, but there are a couple of deeper issues beneath this phenomena.

 

You're right, that women outnumber men in China. It's believed the ratio is approximately 117 - 100. This appears to be due to female infanticide, selective abortion of female fetuses, and neglect of newborn females. In 1997 the World Health Organization's Regional Committee reported that "more than 50 million women were estimated to be 'missing' in China because of the institutionalized killing and neglect of girls due to Beijing's population control program that limits parents to one child."

 

So, if there are more men than women, women should have no trouble finding partners. If that's the case, why are they hiring boyfriends?

 

China's economy is growing exponentially and women are becoming more economically independent. Everywhere in the world, when women gain economic independence and/or have access to more education they delay marriage and having children. China is no different.

 

In China, parents still cling to traditional beliefs that their daughters need to marry for economic security and because... "That's the way it's always been done." Parents worry about "losing face" if their daughters are "leftover" and not married by 25. In addition, in a one child society, these young women are the sole chance for grandchildren for many parents.

 

At one time or another, most of us have been asked by our families "When are you going to find a nice woman/man and settle down?" Now imagine multiplying this pressure x 100. China is undergoing rapid urbanization and social change driven by its economic growth. Parents of course not only cling to older values in the countryside, they pressure their "leftover" daughters to comply with these traditional values. Apparently it's a lot easier to make parents happy with a pretend boyfriend than it is to challenge them or put up with their pressure every time you visit. After the visit you go back to the city and resume your independent life. Most of these women will eventually marry and have children, but they're just not following the traditional Chinese timetable for these events. Parents however don't think it's possible to delay these events, they think life will pass their daughters by.

[FunValerie 8573]

Good point. Easier to pay a guy than to put up with parental pressure.