Editors note: This is a translated and edited version of an article from the Chinese gcpnews.com. It discusses the causes and effects that the increasing number of single women in China are having on society and traditional institutions.

 

According to a conference paper recently presented by Chen Yaya, an assistant research fellow at the Academy of Social Sciences in Shanghai, China is currently in the middle of its fourth wave of staying single (from here on out referred to as "singles wave"). Her paper, "An investigation of the lives of single women in Chinese cities", makes many surprising findings, amongst which it found that an increasing number of women today are actively choosing to live the single life, and that this social trend is spurring a new "singles economy".

The four "singles" waves in China

China, prior to this current (fourth) singles wave has undergone three previous similar singles waves. The first wave occurred in the 1950s, when many Chinese people, who were kept busy with the various social projects of the revolutionary era, had little time to think about marriage. The second wave occurred in the late 1970s, as many "educated youth" were returning from the countryside to the cities, which resulted in the rapid increase of single women there. While male educated youth tended to marry local girls in the countryside, their female counterparts preferred to be single, finding it hard to be wooed by the young men in the countryside. The third wave occurred at the beginning of the 1990s, as the increasing Western influence of the Opening Policy deeply affected the "traditional Chinese family" model for many Chinese youths. The fourth wave started in the late 1990s, and was spurred on by the rapid economic development and increased focus on women's rights. This wave has gradually become more and more prominent in Chinese society, and the effects of the wave have become increasingly clear today.

The most interesting element of this new "singles" wave, and the focus of Chen Yaya's research, is that it is different from the previous waves and is predominantly led by women: "If we say that the previous "singles" waves were due to objective situational changes (influencing personal decisions), and that they were only a short-term behavioral trend, then this time, the forth "singles" wave is better characterised as people choosing to be single of their own initiative." Surveys show that single urban dwelling women are now increasingly "choosing" the single life. In 2005, of 30-50 year old singles in Beijing, 60% were women; in Shanghai it was 82%. In 2007, a Shanghai survey showed that the number of single women is increasing faster than the number of single men, and the closer to one gets to the city center, the larger these numbers get.

Single women: want to live their own lives

"One of the results of the previous women's rights promotions, was that single women started rethinking the role of the woman in traditional Chinese marriage." Single women are more free to express their feelings and opinions as compared to women in a traditional marriage role. Chen Yaya frequently asked women, "Now that you are married are you still as happy as you were before?" they all responded with silence. She added, "...afterwards I thought, [to these women] human life is short, bitter. Clear and simple…freedom from this is great, you don't have the pressures of the wife and mother."

Chen Yaya notes that many researchers have found that women who grow up to reject the traditional role of the woman, or scrutinise the traditional marriage model are likely to be intrigued by the benefits of the single life – that it is more free and enjoyable. Marriage can wait, and it is something that they can choose to do. It is no longer something they are forced to do.

Yet, women in choosing the single life must then depend on themselves to respond to the various pressures of life. They must utilise their own superior talents to improve their lives, and only after their contributions become known in society will they gain the mainstream public's acceptance.

The new "singles economy"

"As single women are not burdened by the typical family issues, they can focus more of their energy on their careers." One effect of this career-oriented lifestyle is that they have a lot of disposable income. As such, as single women have increased in number, a new "singles economy" has been flourishing. Chen Yaya found that many single women live alone, nearly all of them work, and most of their economic situations/consumer potential are relative strong. But at the moment, there are very few daily necessities or consumer goods that are exclusively produced with the single woman in mind. However, as the number of single women continues to increase, the market will inevitably start paying more attention to this group's specific needs and preferences.

Recently, "FHM" magazine and Sina conducted a joint survey regarding the lives of single women in China. One of the most interesting findings was that more single women are currently "saving to buy a house (30.35%) than are "spending money on clothes and beauty products". According to Chen Yaya, single women are interested in home ownership because "it can give a woman a sense of security, much different from depending on a boyfriend or husband". But, as she notes, housing prices are still quite high, and it is very difficult for many single women to achieve this goal.

Sexual frustration; baby troubles

The traditional model of love and marriage is still dominant in China, and premarital sex is still heavily criticised. It is often indirectly implied that single women not be sexually active. As Chen Yaya notes, "Many work groups require physical examinations and expect single women to go in for gynecological examinations." Even being free of the constraints of marriage, these kinds of social pressures mean that single women still must inhibit their own sexual needs.

At the same time, child rearing is also problematic for single women: "In Mainland China, single women who give birth do not qualify for birth insurance. Additionally, when applying for a residence permit, a single woman must pay a child support fee." A single woman (of marriageable age) who gave birth to a child in 2010 in Shanghai would be required to pay 15,919 RMB. Finally, she mentions that single women in Taiwan giving birth enjoy the same treatment as married women, and that the Mainland's policy appears to be relaxing on this issue.

Nearly 4% of women are single due to sexual orientation

Chen Yaya concludes her report stating, "As the media has become more involved and society has become increasingly more open, the idea of the "homosexual woman" is also gradually gaining popular approval." According to the FHM-Sina survey, nearly 4% of women are single due to their sexual orientation; in Shanghai the number is about 4.75%. "No longer do women have to choose heterosexual marriage against their own wishes. Now, more women can find same-sex partners without as many problems."
 

Source: sohu.com
 

Related links
Survey Probes Chinese Attitudes Towards Women's Rights
Dreading Your Wedding: Chinese Women and the Pressure to Marry
China's Marriage Crisis: 5000 Divorces a Day!

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