Status of Women in U.S. & China

Women in the United States, at each level of education, earn less than men. For example, women with professional degrees earned an average of $2,866 per month and men $5,647. Business and education are the most common degree fields. Some degree fields are dominated by men, and others by women. For instance, 87 percent holding their highest degree in engineering were men. On the other hand, 72 percent whose highest degree was in education were women.

American family life has changed greatly over the last three decades. In 1990, most women between the ages of 20 and 24 had never been married (63 percent of the women). Yet as recently as 1960, only 28 percent of the women this age had not been married. In 1990, those women aged 25 to 29 also were much less likely to have ever been married (31 percent). Consequently, by 1990, the median age at first marriage (23.9 years) was the highest it has been this century.

As fewer young adults marry, there are more premarital births. For instance, about 2.2 million women who gave birth for the first time between 1985 and 1989 had never been married--three times the amount from the period between 1960 and 1964. In the late 1980s, 22 percent of first births occurred befo

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he woman's bargaining power. Women who have completed higher levels of schooling may be more likely to give birth when both parents agree that the timing is optimal or at least acceptable, and to avoid a birth when a man desires a child but the woman does not. Chinese Women Once confined to the home, Chinese women now work in the country and the city. According to the 1990 Chinese Census, women make up almost one-half the population of the country. More women are becoming active in public affairs in China due to the encouragement and support of the government. The number of women in the work force continues to increase. However, employment practices in China often discriminate against women. To combat this, the government recently passed the Women's Rights and Interests Protection Law. Serving in the military enjoys high popularity among young Chinese women. It opens opportunities for education and training, better jobs in the future, possible residence in cities, and higher status in society. Before the end of the Cultural Revolution (1976), only girls from the families of "Five Reds" (worker, peasant, soldier, staff, and small merchant) were eligible to serve in the military. Now women scientists, medical doc
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Approximate Word count = 2506
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

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