It is interesting to see more young Korean couples prefer a daughter to a son. This trend is evident as a result of the transforming family system and changing social values. The change is meaningful as the nation is moving toward a more open society in the 21st century, less influenced by the hierarchical and male-centered Confucian culture.
In a survey released Tuesday, 37.4 percent of fathers said that they wanted to have baby girls rather than boys, while 28.6 percent gave the opposite response ― the remaining 34 percent said they didn't care about the sex of their newborns. Mothers also made a similar response with 37.9 percent preferring daughters to sons and 31.3 percent vice-versa.
The survey is the first of its kind showing the receding trend of the centuries-old preference for baby boys. It was conducted among the families of 2,078 babies born during the April to July period of 2008 by the state-run Korea Institute of Childcare and Education. What's more eye-catching is that the younger the couples are, the higher their desire to have a daughter is.
Under the influence of Confucianism, Koreans have long been ardent in their quest for sons who were required to play the important role of succeeding their family and supporting their aged parents. But Confucian values have lost ground in our industrialized modern society. The traditional patriarchal extended family system has increasingly given way to a nuclear one.
Such social changes have also contributed to addressing a sharp imbalance in the ratio of males to females. The imbalance hit its peak in 1990 when 116.5 boys were born for every 100 girls. Partly thanks to a strict ban on the use of sonograms to determine the sex of a baby as well as outlawed sex-selective abortions, the ratio fell to 106.4 boys born for every 100 girls in 2008. So, the nation succeeded in containing the ratio within the naturally harmonious level of between 103 and 107.
In a nutshell, a growing number of people do not think that they must have sons. They focus more on their own happiness in family life than on their dedication to the male-dominant family system, which has no place in the 21st century. Also, there is no question that more young couples want baby girls as they likely feel they will enjoy raising daughters more than sons.
Riding on this changing trend, government officials are required to set out better policies to promote gender equality and usher in a more open and democratic society. The nation has already recorded the lowest birthrate in the world. Thus, it is necessary to come up with a bolder demographic policy to encourage marriages and boost family values so that every member of our society can lead a happy life.
1. Which do you prefer to have a daughter or to have son in the future? why?
In case you have children, answer this question :
what is the advantage and disadvantage of having a daughter or a son?
2. What is your opinion about a notion of preferring a son to a daughter?
3. (for women) What would you do if your parents in law forced you to have a son?
(for men) What would you do if your parents forced your wife to have a son?
