In 2007, mainstream media vigorously promoted the concept of “leftover women”, describing unmarried women over 27 as “not excellent enough” and “unwanted”, suggesting that the market value of their marriage was depreciating.
Fincher revealed that this is a national-level social project: the intention is to encourage highly educated women to get married as early as possible in order to combat demographic issues, especially the imbalance in the gender ratio and the decline in the birth rate.
What the state is concerned about is not women’s happiness, but to bind them into the family structure through marriage, thereby reducing the welfare pressure on the state and social instability factors.
Even though the image of “independent women” has been promoted among urban elites, the country has been constantly strengthening the life path of “marriage – childbearing – stability”. Although it ostensibly emphasizes “free choice”, the state and social systems regard “whether women get married/have children” as a social responsibility.
key words:
The term “leftover woman” is a social identity that has been shaped rather than formed naturally.
Behind this is gender engineering under state intervention;
Women’s happiness has been given way to the national population control target.
“Choice” is merely a superficial phenomenon; freedom is defined by structure.
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