Technology Diary

In China, there is a system called Rent-A-Boyfriend where Chinese women rent boyfriends in order to please their parents. In China, finding a partner before a certain age is very important so parents are constantly pressuring their daughters, especially around Chinese New Year’s or Chinese Single’s Day when women come home to see their parents.  In response to this pressure, women have been shopping for men in a public online marketplace. Women rent these men from sites like Taobao, similar to our eBay and Amazon.

“According to The Shanghaiist, the price of renting a polished, charismatic boyfriend for a day doesn’t include things like transportation, dining, accommodations and other fees. But, for a minimum of three days, these strapping young men will take trips back home to meet the family, chat with the parents, go shopping with them and attend various family gatherings. A hug, hand-holding and a goodbye kiss on the cheek or forehead are on the house. In some cases, the rent-a-boyfriend service prices can be highly detailed. For example, dining with the parents can cost a girl 50 yuan ($8.21) an hour; shopping or seeing a movie can run her 30 yuan ($4.92) an hour, plus concessions.” (http://www.ibtimes.com/rent-boyfriend-business-booming-china-women-hire-fake-beaus-please-nagging-parents-1465308) This system may seem like a form of prostitution, but it’s not, because men aren’t being solicted for their bodies they’re just being solictied for their time. But, if the rental boyfriend makes a move on his female employer she is given a full refund and is encouraged to report  him to the police.

It’s interesting to note the pressure that is put on women by their Chinese parents, pressure to fit these traditionally gendered roles. According to ABC News women who aren’t married by the time they’re 27 are considered “left-over” women and are going to “expire” soon. China is a country that holds true to its traditions, but in our modern day society women shouldn’t be pressured to get married or start a family by a certain time or even at all. IN addition to the pressure of their parents, the Chinese government is also outwardly open about their disdain for women who are past the age of 27 and are single. What’s funny is that the Chinese feminist agency released a statement saying that women who are past the age of 27 and are just partying and having one night stands have amounted to nothing and they don’t deserve anyones sympathy. The pressures from the Chinese culture act as if being single is against the law.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/lauren-walker/2013/03/a-talk-with-one-of-chinas-rent-a-boyfriends/