oct 21st, 2011 CE
the hvistendahl book was quite an eye opener; but it also showed that there are unexpected consequences to both a) prosperity and b) access to technologies like sonograms. both a) and b) led to the aborting of female fetuses.
surprise, surprise, eh? americans also like boys. but it has long been well known that people everywhere (including the west) spend twice as much celebrating the birth of a son than they do for a daughter.
so maybe the business of 'missing women' is not something to beat up india and china alone with.
we also know that a) women still make only 70% of what men make in the us, b) more american women are percentage wise likely to be offed by their husbands/boyfriends as they are to be subject to dowry-deaths in india -- but of course none of this data will make the least difference to the surpanakha-daughter types of brown-women-carrying-white-womens-burden harpies.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sri venkat
Date: Sat, Oct 22, 2011 at 4:10 AM
Subject: Twice as Many Americans Want Sons Over Daughters
To:
Twice as Many Americans Want Sons Over Daughters http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/06/twice-many-americans-prefer-have-sons/39265/ Ujala Sehgal
Jun 25, 2011 A new book, "Unnatural Selection," by Science writer Mara Hvistendahl
looked at the tremendous shortage of women, particularly in Asia, due
to sex selection. Hvistendahl focused on the West's role in
exacerbating the disparity by exporting abortion technologies, and in
response, many took her to task for not placing the blame on the
foreign cultures themselves for valuing daughters less than sons. For
example, Richard Dawkins at BoingBoing wrote that the female shortage
may better "be blamed on the cultural and religious practices that
despise and discriminate against women in the first place." In light of that recent debate, a new Gallup study that almost twice
as many Americans would prefer to have a son rather than a daughter is
particularly unexpected, suggesting that American cultural values may
be less than ideal themselves. In this new survey, out of over one
thousand people interviewed, 48 percent of respondents admitted they
wanted a son more than they wanted a daughter. Just 28 percent said
they would rather have a daughter, and 26 percent said they would be
content with either sex. The remainder had no opinion. In fact, Gallup
noted that Americans' preference for a male child is even stronger
today than it was in 1941, when just 38 percent preferred a son, with
24 percent preferring a daughter. Gallup noted that age, sex, and education levels all were significant
factors regarding the responses. American men, rather than women,
drive the preference for male children.
In the current poll, conducted June 9-12, men favor a boy over a girl
by a 49% to 22% margin. American women do not have a proportionate
preference for girls. Instead, women show essentially no preference
either way: 31% say they would prefer a boy and 33% would prefer a
girl.
Preference for a son is inversely related to age. Americans who are
younger than 30 say they would prefer a boy to a girl by a 54 percent
to 27 percent margin. The difference ebbs as the respondents get
older. But as most people who give birth are under the age of 30, this
skew becomes more significant. Americans with lower education levels are more likely to say they
would favor a boy. However, Gallup noted that "there is, however, no
concomitant income skew; higher-income Americans are exactly the same
as the national average in their preference for a boy rather than a
girl." Additionally, the preference for a boy over a girl baby is higher
among Republicans than among Democrats, and conservatives are
significantly more likely than liberals to prefer a boy.
Gallup concludes that "the real-world implications of
gender-preference attitudes in some countries around the world are
profound." For Americans, the effect remains to be seen. "The degree
to which Americans deliberately attempt to select the gender of their
children is unclear." Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email
to the author at usehgal@theatlantic.com. You can share ideas for
stories on the Open Wire.
Sources How almost twice as many Americans would prefer to have a son over a
daughter , Tamara Abraham, Daily Mail Americans Prefer Boys to Girls, Just as They Did in 1941, Frank Newport, Gallup Response to Richard Dawkins, Mara Hvistendahl, marahvistendahl.com
From: sri venkat
Date: Sat, Oct 22, 2011 at 4:10 AM
Subject: Twice as Many Americans Want Sons Over Daughters
To:
Twice as Many Americans Want Sons Over Daughters http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/06/twice-many-americans-prefer-have-sons/39265/ Ujala Sehgal
Jun 25, 2011 A new book, "Unnatural Selection," by Science writer Mara Hvistendahl
looked at the tremendous shortage of women, particularly in Asia, due
to sex selection. Hvistendahl focused on the West's role in
exacerbating the disparity by exporting abortion technologies, and in
response, many took her to task for not placing the blame on the
foreign cultures themselves for valuing daughters less than sons. For
example, Richard Dawkins at BoingBoing wrote that the female shortage
may better "be blamed on the cultural and religious practices that
despise and discriminate against women in the first place." In light of that recent debate, a new Gallup study that almost twice
as many Americans would prefer to have a son rather than a daughter is
particularly unexpected, suggesting that American cultural values may
be less than ideal themselves. In this new survey, out of over one
thousand people interviewed, 48 percent of respondents admitted they
wanted a son more than they wanted a daughter. Just 28 percent said
they would rather have a daughter, and 26 percent said they would be
content with either sex. The remainder had no opinion. In fact, Gallup
noted that Americans' preference for a male child is even stronger
today than it was in 1941, when just 38 percent preferred a son, with
24 percent preferring a daughter. Gallup noted that age, sex, and education levels all were significant
factors regarding the responses. American men, rather than women,
drive the preference for male children.
In the current poll, conducted June 9-12, men favor a boy over a girl
by a 49% to 22% margin. American women do not have a proportionate
preference for girls. Instead, women show essentially no preference
either way: 31% say they would prefer a boy and 33% would prefer a
girl.
Preference for a son is inversely related to age. Americans who are
younger than 30 say they would prefer a boy to a girl by a 54 percent
to 27 percent margin. The difference ebbs as the respondents get
older. But as most people who give birth are under the age of 30, this
skew becomes more significant. Americans with lower education levels are more likely to say they
would favor a boy. However, Gallup noted that "there is, however, no
concomitant income skew; higher-income Americans are exactly the same
as the national average in their preference for a boy rather than a
girl." Additionally, the preference for a boy over a girl baby is higher
among Republicans than among Democrats, and conservatives are
significantly more likely than liberals to prefer a boy.
Gallup concludes that "the real-world implications of
gender-preference attitudes in some countries around the world are
profound." For Americans, the effect remains to be seen. "The degree
to which Americans deliberately attempt to select the gender of their
children is unclear." Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email
to the author at usehgal@theatlantic.com. You can share ideas for
stories on the Open Wire.
Sources How almost twice as many Americans would prefer to have a son over a
daughter , Tamara Abraham, Daily Mail Americans Prefer Boys to Girls, Just as They Did in 1941, Frank Newport, Gallup Response to Richard Dawkins, Mara Hvistendahl, marahvistendahl.com
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