Where Boys Were Kings, a Shift Toward Baby Girls

[dropkickpa]

Source: NYT

By CHOE SANG-HUN
Published: December 23, 2007

SEOUL, South Korea — When Park He-ran was a young mother, other women would approach her to ask what her secret was. She had given birth to three boys in a row at a time when South Korean women considered it their paramount duty to bear a son.

Ms. Park, a 61-year-old newspaper executive, gets a different reaction today. “When I tell people I have three sons and no daughter, they say they are sorry for my misfortune,” she said. “Within a generation, I have turned from the luckiest woman possible to a pitiful mother.”

In South Korea, once one of Asia’s most rigidly patriarchal societies, a centuries-old preference for baby boys is fast receding. And that has led to what seems to be a decrease in the number of abortions performed after ultrasounds that reveal the sex of a fetus.

According to a study released by the World Bank in October, South Korea is the first of several Asian countries with large sex imbalances at birth to reverse the trend, moving toward greater parity between the sexes. Last year, the ratio was 107.4 boys born for every 100 girls, still above what is considered normal, but down from a peak of 116.5 boys born for every 100 girls in 1990.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/world/asia/23skorea.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

---

Rapid progress has already been made in S.Korea towards creating more equality for women. This is very encouraging to see, especially in light of the fact that there was SUCH a difference just a generation ago. Gives me hope that other areas of the world can do the same, if given the opporunity to develop economically.

It also gives me hope that other attitudes that AREN'T so culturally ingrained can be changed in a very short time.

[donsu]

1. interesting, thanks for info

nt

[treestar]

2. That always strikes me as so sad

Women so oppressed they don't appreciate their own daughters. I am glad this is reversing.

Related, I was reading about the Swedish throne, which goes to the oldest child, even if it is a daughter, and has for centuries. The current Crown Princess has a little brother, but she is still the heir. Others only have a queen when she has no brothers. That's highly unusual and very forward looking considering that's how they were doing it centuries ago!

[bemildred]

3. This indicates improvement in women's education and civil rights.

They better watch out for a fundamentalist reaction though.

[dropkickpa]

7. For some reason

I don't think that is going to be as much of a problem in S. Korea as in other places. The shift is so sudden (relatively) and so widespread (as reflected in the changing birth rates) that I think fundies would have a hard time finding enough support. The religious make-up of SK is interesting in that it is almost equally split between buddhism and christianity and there appears to be little of the religious conflicts seen in other countries.

I hope for their sake that they can maintain their prosperity and relative peace.

[bemildred]

15. Well I hope you are right.

I think the shift from agrarian to urban is less an issue in S. Korea too, though it's been a while since I was there, and I'm no expert on Korean affairs.

[boricua79]

4. looks like they finally realized the idiocy of preferring one sex

education, civilization, and time to seep in works.

[Warpy]

5. No, their daughters got basic education and then got JOBS

They became a family asset instead of a continual liability until they married and contributed labor and babies to somebody else's family.

That's what changed. Women became more than somebody else's baby machine.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. That and the gender imbalance got so out of whack that the precious sons couldn't find wives

at least not among Korean women and marrying within the culture is still valued.

[MADem]

10. Same thing is happening in India.

Bright spot is that poorer women are getting a shot at "marrying UP" and being able to help their poorer families. The poverty-stricken raving beauties can write their own tickets. It's a bit of poetic justice.

Silly system, that values one sex over another. The Chinese will be getting the spirit next, and they'll be hustling over this way, looking for all those girl-babies they gave away in the past couple of decades....I suspect those Raised in The USA girls won't be too enthused at the overtures, though!

[tblue37]

12. In rural parts of China young women are kidnapped from their home villages

and forced to marry men in what is really just community sanctioend rape and sexual enslavement. Instead of gaining some status and leverage because they are in short supply, women are just another object for man to grab and possess when they can, however they can.

[MADem]

13. Baaastids!!!! They need to give them wimmen guns and teach 'em how to use 'em! NT

[boricua79]

14. right...civilization

and education. The South Korean people (the men in particular) realized that if women are properly educated and allowed to participate in society in equal ways, the entire nation prospers and enjoys the fruits of that participation.

Marx used to talk about capitalisms "revolutionary" capability to break down traditionalisms and backwards cultural ideas that stood in the way of the cultural ideas that are a product of capitalism and Western thought. Call it Eurocentric, but I think he was right for the most part.

I don't have to be European (i'm not) to think that Western political thought and social development is much more desirable than those found in other nations. So, again, education and civilization and TIME TO SEEP IN is what is needed. That realization that it is better to treat women the same way as men takes TIME TO SEEP IN.

[shenmue]

6. It's easier to love all kids

:loveya:

Here's an idea, love the girls and the boys. What a crazy idea... it just might work!

[defendandprotect]

9. Nature prefers females --- and the ratio is usually by about 54% ---

All life begins as female ---

[Stargazer99]

16. You'd be surprised how many don't want to know that fact

Or even hear that fact that life begins female. Only after male hormones affect the fetus do you get males. Sort of shoots the hell out of Gensis doesn't it?

[pink-o]

17. yes, and also homophobia

...because if everyone is predisposed to be estrogen-dominated, doesn't that make more sense that when a fetus is in transition, sexual orientation can go either way despite gender????

Not to mention transexuals, who're so obviously determined at that time in the womb, there should be no doubt nor any shame concerning it! But stupid, judgemental people will continue to deny basic science, won't they?

[defendandprotect]

18. Well . . . not if you know about Lilith who knew she was created equally ---

for those who don't know, Lilith was Adam's first wife who is demonized in patriarchal writings until you research more deeply and find she was innocent of most of the vile things said of her --- and actually a friend to Eve who seemingly suffered in an incompatiable relationship with Mr. Wonderful!


AND, agree with you about how much the patriarchy needs to keep that info buried . . .

They'll also deny to the death the male jealousy of women's ability to create life ---
while at the same time trying in every way to control the womb and to create an artificial womb!

At one point they figured out how to trigger the switch from female to male ---
but then the male couldn't procreate --- !!!


They're still at it though . . . !!!

Additionally, for those who might not know ---
Women contribute about 57% genetically to offspring ---
the additional 7% comes from mitochondria -- a sac of genes which only females possess.

[customerserviceguy]

24. Genesis was designed

to "re-educate" people about what the natural order of things teaches them. Matrilinear society used to be the norm until agriculture taught males the concept of "my son".

[daleo]

23. Canadian births in 2005 were 175376 male, 166800 female

I have always read that human populations generally have more male births than female births, partly to make up for the fact that male babies die more often within the first year than female babies. I would be interested to know where you got your information.

http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/84F0210XIE/2005001/tablesectionlist.htm

[fujiyama]

11. This is encouraging

and hopefully China and India will follow too.

[MilesColtrane]

19. In other news today, Neil Bush bought a plane ticket to Seoul.

When asked about the purchase, he replied, "Giggity!!"

[onager]

20. Seeing a little of this in Egypt, maybe...

Which still has a LONG way to go, though. The oldest son still dominates the family, even if he is a complete moron. I'm restraining myself from comments about the Bush family.

Some young working women are still forced to turn over their earnings to their brothers, who may very well spend the money on stuff for themselves, not for the family.

On the brighter side, one of my co-workers is a young man who had his second daughter not long ago. When the other guys started asking when he would have a son, he said he preferred daughters. His reasoning is that girls will marry and get out of the house quicker. But an unemployed son will stay there forever mooching off Mom and Dad. :-)

I sometimes run into a neighborhood family in a little park near my apartment. The father talks about doing "extra fasting" so Allah will grant him a son. I think he better give up. The score so far is 4 cute little girls, including a very frisky set of 8-yr-old twins. Of course, I'm a grumpy atheist. (And for those who don't know, I live in Alexandria.)

[bemildred]

21. And in Iran, believe it or not.

Smaller families, lower rates of cousin marriage, etc. And that means a lot of Iranian men are accepting the fact that they will not ever have a son.

[mopinko]

22. they need daughters to care for them in their old age,

would be my bet. although sons might provide you a home and an income, i imagine you need a daughter to wipe your ass.