55,000 kids have been adopted in China by Americans, almost all girls. While China restricts many families to one child, many still long for a son to carry the family name. It's a remnant of an old, old tradition of considering women essentially valueless.
There's all kinds of speculation on the net as to why China's population has such a high ratio of males to females--115-130 men for every 100 women, depending on which statistics you choose to believe. Whatever the reason may be, the fact that so many are willing to give up daughters, and so few sons, suggests the tradition of valuing men more than women is alive and well.
This proud old tradition extends all over Asia, and in India, gender-selective abortion is one result. Old ways die hard, and if they keep practicing this one, their much-valued heterosexual male population may as well jump in the river and drown.
As prejudices go, it's time to let go of this one. And the other ones too.
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