Sexual "Liberation" and the Older Woman in Contemporary Mainland China
Shea, J.L.
Modern China 31(1): 115-147
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0097-7004 Document Number: 262155
Over the past two decades, the People's Republic of China has witnessed a growing media debate concerning traditional injunctions against romance, sex, and marriage in later life. This article explores middle-aged and older Chinese women's attitudes concerning sex in later life, the actual prevalence of sexual activity among these women, and the relation of their sexual attitudes to their sexual behavior. By comparing media discourse on the sexual "liberation" of Chinese elders to the views and behaviors reported by 200 rural and 199 urban Chinese women between the ages of 40 and 65, it demonstrates that this discourse is based on many inaccurate assumptions about older Chinese women and the role of "feudalism" in their lives. In addition, the article examines how factors typically associated with "feudalism"- including exposure to various information sources, place of residence, education level, and household composition- relate to women's sexual views and activity.