Boys, Boys, Boys
By GlindaAs you may already know, last week Gallup published the results of this survey, which showed that if Americans were to only have one child, 40% would prefer a boy. 28% preferred a girl, and 26% stated that it didn’t matter.
So while not quite a majority, still quite a big differential going on there.
Is it the whole “girls can get pregnant” thing? Would people rather be the parent of the impregnator rather than the impregnatee?
Is it a financial thing, where people seem to think boys are cheaper to raise?
Perhaps they are concerned about passing on the family name.
Or is it a flat-out gender bias?
What do you think?
And just a side note, the two lads featured up there in the picture come courtesy of Marie Osmond.
I think they will haunt my dreams. And I didn’t want to be the only person having nightmares, so I had to share.
You’re welcome.
June 28th, 2011 at 7:59 am
Eh, can’t get too excited. The difference in preference is driven primarily by young men (when you break the survey results out by gender, women split equally on preference for boys/girls, and the difference in preference disappears in older age groups as well). I think there’s something very primal about wanting a child like _you_, and it makes sense to me that a young male would feel more comfortable imagining raising another young male. The survery doesn’t address any critical questions, like, if you prefer a baby boy, but your wife/girlfriend/baby mommy is pregnant with a baby girl, would you accept her?
June 28th, 2011 at 8:02 am
P.S. That picture is horribly disturbing. There’s something disproportionate about the facial features/expressions but I can’t quite figure out what.
June 28th, 2011 at 11:32 am
ooooooowwww! My eyes!!!!!!!
I like my boys but I did want a girl first, instead I am getting her last but I am glad to have her. I think there is something to having a desire for a child that is like you.
June 29th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
@Awesome Mom- Hon, are you pregnant!?