Uncovering the Voices of API Women on Sex Selection, Gender Preference & Self-Esteem

UNCOVERING THE VOICES OF API WOMEN ON SEX

SELECTION, GENDER PREFERENCE & SELF-ESTEEM

Voice & Visibility: API Women’s Health Summit May 18, 2011

Irvine, California

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

Sunday, May 15, 2011

PresentersJedrek ChuaUniversity of California, IrvinePublic Health Policy & Urban Studies

Christine LeeUniversity of California, IrvineBiological Sciences & Anthropology

Allison NguyenUniversity of California, Irvine

Public Health Policy & Business Economics

Denise TranUniversity of California, Irvine

Public Health Sciences


CYWC QUANTITATIVE STUDY FINDINGS

Methods & DemographicsSex Selection


METHODS & DEMOGRAPHICS


MethodsOnline survey conducted through SurveyMonkey

Random sampling of 5000 full-time undergraduate females, 18-25 years of age

Final sample size: N=1100

Questions included topics on:

Demographics

Association with Religion

Sex Education

Sexual history

Contraceptive choice

Views on abortion

Sex selection

Reproductive Technology


50%

13%

22%

14%2%

API

Multi-Racial

White

Latina/Chicana

African American

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Chinese Vietnamese Filipina Korean South Asian

Demographic Characteristics of our

Sample Population


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Catholicism Christianity Buddhism Islam Hinduism Judaism Other

Religious Affiliation of UC Irvine Campus


SEXSELECTION


Poll

Do you believe boys are valued more in Asian families?


What is Sex Selection?



Boys & Girls are Valued Equally

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Agree* Neutral Disagree*

Agree*: Strongly Agree & AgreeDisagree*: Strongly Disagree & Disagree


Who are more valued?

0%

15%

30%

45%

60%

Disagree* Neutral Agree*

Boys more valued than Girls

Girls more valued than Boys

0%

15%

30%

45%

60%



24%9%


“All things considered, I believe that I, as a woman, have as much opportunity as a man”

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%




Sex Choice of First-Born Child

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Boy Girl Do Not Care

Not Sure No Children Planned

31%

14%


Sex Choice if Only Child

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Boy Girl Do Not Care Not Sure


Sex Selection Reinforces Sexist Notions

0%

12.5%

25%

37.5%

50%

Disagree* Neutral Agree*Agree*: Strongly Agree & Agree

Disagree*: Strongly Disagree & Disagree

47%

20%


“Do you know people in your family or communities who have used some sort of technology,

including abortion, to have a child of a specific sex?”

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Yes No Not Sure

7%



CYWC QUALITATIVE STUDY FINDINGS (UROP)

Introduction to UROPQualitative Methods

FindingsConclusion


INTRODUCTION TO UROP


Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Allison NguyenChristine LeeJedrek Chua Denise Tran

How Sex Selection & Gender Preference Affects AsianAmerican Women’s Self-Esteem & Self-Perception


Hypothesis

We propose that sex selection and gender preference has an adverse impact on the self-esteem and self-perception

of Asian American women.


Qualitative Methods

2 Focus Group Discussions [N=19]Female Group [N=12]

Male Group [N=7]

Focus Group Included:Pre-focus group questionnaire

Warm-up questions

Focus group discussion questions

Reflectionunintended consequence :)


Focus Group Discussion Questions

How Sex Selection & Gender Preference Affects Self-Esteem

How Sex Selection & Gender Preference Affects Self-Perception

How Self-Esteem Affects Educational Opportunities & Career Paths

Attitudes on Gender Roles and Familial Responsibilities


Data Analysis

Transcribed both sets of focus group audio recordings

Generated transcripts totaling about 50 pages

Coded and created themes

Tabulated pre-focus group questionnaires

Discussed & interpreted emerging themes


How self-esteem affects educational opportunities & career paths

♀ Desire to be male for greater freedom

♀ Need for push from parents

♀ Need for jobs with financial security

FindingsAttitudes on gender roles and familial responsibilities

♂ Privileged in job-related opportunities compared to women

♀ Get married, have families

♂ Men to protect women

♀ Family life given priority

♂ Jobs first, families later

♀ Gender-based chores


Findings

Familial Responsibilities

Expectations placed on older child

Educational Expectations

Emphasis placed on younger child


Conclusion

Parental Encouragement & Guidance

Careers with Financial Stability

Familial Responsibilities vs. Educational Achievement


ConclusionLimitations

Ethnic Composition of Focus Groups

Follow-Up Questions

Generation Gap and AcculturationRetherford and Roy (2003)

Having open and honest discussionRecruitment

Asian Characteristics


MOCK FOCUS GROUP ACTIVITY


Mock Focus Group

1. What were some cultural expectations in your family?


Mock Focus Group

2. Did you ever feel any pressure from your parents to choose a specific major?


Mock Focus Group

3. Have you ever felt your gender dictated your choice of major?


Mock Focus Group

4. How do your familial responsibilities differ from that of your sibling(s)?


Mock Focus Group

5. Are girls and boys VALUED equally within your family?


Mock Focus Group

6. Do you think you would have more opportunities if you were of the opposite

gender?


Mock Focus Group

7. If given a choice, would you like your first born child to be:

A boyA girl

Do not careNot sure

I am not planning to have children


Mock Focus Group

8. If, for whatever reason, you could not have more than one child, what sex would you wish

for your only child to be?

A boyA girl

Do not careNot sure


THANK YOU! :)


Health & Medicine

Uncovering the Voices of API Women on Sex Selection, Gender Preference & Self-Esteem