(Ecns.cn) – China is witnessing a new trend among the younger generations: more and more people are choosing to stay out of wedlock. Many Chinese women, especially, are opting for celibacy, making it harder for Cupid to shoot his arrow.
According to Chen Yaya, assistant researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the growing number of "left-over" women (women over 30 who are single) indicates the coming boom of those who choose to remain single in the near future.
In fact, such booms have taken place in China three times in history. The first singlehood boom resulted from the implementation of the first Marriage Law in the 1950s, because the law made bigamy illegal. The second time was during the 1970s when educated youths returned to their hometown and applied for divorces. The third time came about with the transformation of family values brought on by reform and opening up in the 1990s.
Now the fourth wave of singlehood is looming, which may be a result of the rapid development of the economy and the promotion of female independence.
More females than males opt for celibacy
Chen disclosed that the singlehood boom this time is quite different from previous ones because more people are taking the initiative to remain single instead of being forced to, and their choice seems to not be a temporary decision.
Chen pointed out that there has been a gender imbalance of those who opt for celibacy in the past decade, even though the male to female rate of the total population was high.
Early in 1996, most unmarried young people were females. In 2005, the number of left-over women aged 30 to 50 years old grew rapidly in Beijing, where over 60% of the unmarried were female. This figure was even higher in Shanghai that same year.
In addition, a sample survey conducted in Shanghai showed that the rate of increase in the number of single women was higher than that of single men in 2007. The trend continues to this today.
New characteristics of the fourth singlehood boom
"With an increased awareness of female independence, left-over women have started to become introspective of themselves. They are especially questioning the female role in traditional marriages," said Chen Yaya. Women are now braver than before in expressing their own opinions.
Some women cannot imagine the repetitive life of working during the day and doing housework in the evening every. They say even on holidays they are not free, as they may have to visit their parents-in-law. Some are afraid of a possible divorce after they get married. But when they think about a free lifestyle without the pressure as a wife and mother, they feel very relieved.
Chen revealed that the number of unmarried women over 30 is swelling in Shanghai. When responding to a question about their single status, many of these women reply with perfect calmness about their situation.
"Without family burdens, they can put more energy into their professional careers. They are more career-oriented," said Chen.
According to a survey conducted by For Him Magazine and Sina.com, single women are facing more pressure at work than those who are married. Usually, they work extra hours every day. 57.37% of the interviewees work more than eight hours a day, the standard stipulated in the Labor Law.
Chen added, "As the number of single women is increasing, a new kind of economy called the 'single economy' emerges for them, because most of the unmarried women have strong consumer abilities and tend to prefer shopping to other risky investments."
In the survey, 30.35% are saving money to buy an apartment, because they consider it the best way to enjoy a sense of safety, without a boyfriend or husband. However, the high housing prices are a reality, and the number of small-sized apartments is limited.
Seeing the growing population of single women, many merchants are now paying attention to this market. Businesses trying to satisfy their demands may be a new trend in the future.
However, Chen worries about some troublesome matters related to sexual life and childbirth, which haunts many single women
In the traditional view, the public thinks that single women do not have a sexual life. Many companies, thus, do not arrange for pelvic examinations for them. As the traditional view poses large pressure on them, they are afraid to utter even a word about their sexual needs and personal relationships.
Meanwhile, giving birth is also one of the problems. "In the Chinese mainland, single mothers cannot enjoy maternity insurance, and they have to pay a social support fee. For example, in 2010, Shanghai single mothers had to pay 15,919 yuan ($2,461) before giving birth. This definitely adds insult to injury," said Chen.
Is staying single their choice?
Of course, staying single is not the choice of many single women. The majority of them are still in a persistent hunt for a "Prince Charming."
As most of the ladies are good looking with decent jobs and sound educational backgrounds, they have high expectations about their Mr. Right and do not want to lower their standards. So they prefer to stay single. What they want is an ideal husband, who is rich, knowledgeable, considerate, and has a bright future.
However, there are still some who choose and are willing to remain single. According to the survey, nearly 4% do so because of their sexual orientation. In Shanghai, the percentage is even higher. Up to 4.75% of the Shanghai female interviewees claimed that they are lesbians, and it is also difficult for them to find a same-gender partner.
The phenomenon of remaining single exists not only in China, but all around the world. According to statistics released by the US Census Bureau on September 28, 2010, the ratio of those who never get married reached 46.4%, while those who married were 44.9%.
