In days gone by, Chinese boys were taught to be tough. “Boys don’t cry,” so they were told. The roles of men and women were clearly defined. Men went out to work and were the providers, whereas women stayed home and looked after the family and did the housework. In public, Chinese women always walked behind their husbands.
All this is no longer the case. For some time now, women have been encouraged to be more independent. As a result, women are becoming stronger and men are becoming more feminine. In fact, women in today’s Chinese society are complaining that their boyfriends get choked up over the slightest things. The question which everyone’s asking is: Has the masculinity gone soft? It may not be easy for both men and women under this social stress.:-?