Single 'three-high' women increasing in Guangzhou

Updated: 2012-02-28 11:07

(womenofchina.cn)

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According to relevant statistics, 72.6% of the 800 women who registered at the Guangzhou Youth Marriage Agency in 2011 are 'three-high' women, representing an increase of 35% from the previous year. The term refers to women aged above 28 who hold masters or Ph.D degrees and earn monthly incomes higher than 8,000 yuan ($1,270).

Guangzhou Youth Marriage Agency senior marriage consultant Hu Zhanhong has said that the existence of 'three-high' women reflects the progress of the society as well as the sacrifices of social development. Statistics show that single men seldom require wealth and career success when seeking a mate, with less than 1% of male marriage-seekers stating that it is important to them. This indicates that today's single men do not prioritize women's income or career success when seeking a partner.

From a more social perspective, Hu has reasoned that familial expectations and social opinions also exert a negative effect on single 'three-high' women. In addition, many single men tend to choose women who are not as conventionally successful as them in accordance to social and cultural norms. From the perspective of the women themselves, 'three high' women often have a fierce desire for and hard-line attitude towards gender equality. As such, both 'three high' men and women may be too focused on personal success to foster the kind of communication and compromise that make a good, conflict-free relationship.

Hu Zhanhong has advised single 'three-high' women to adjust their attitudes and avoid comparing themselves with others. He says that they should be more open to other people's suggestions and should turn to professional institutes for help. They can also work on becoming more communicative and reasonable in their spouse-seeking standards.