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France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
Is France really in a 'sex recession'?
Since the IFOP study revealing these numbers came out in 2024, plenty of researchers, media and commentators have been trying to figure out the reasons behind this decrease in sexual activity among France's youth. Many have pointed to factors like the evolution of consent culture, competition with porn and overexposure to screens, the increase of masturbation and sex toy use, mental health strain and economic uncertainty. And while these are all significant explanations, they miss part of the bigger picture. Sociologist Marie Bergström took a slightly different approach to the topic: 'Sexuality is a matter of concern, worry, maybe even moral panic among a certain generation. But it's really, I think, a misunderstanding of what's going on,' she said. 'We do not see a sex recession among young people.' She and her team have spent the past two years asking more than 10,000 young people across France about their sex life and relationships, and what she found is that the frequency of sexual intercourse is not necessarily the best and only indicator of young people's interest in sex. Less sex, but more partners? Standing in her office at the French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) surrounded by neat stacks of books, Dr. Bergström said: 'Actually, what's happening is that we see more single people, and being single leads to two things – less regular sex, but more sexual partners.' As it turns out, singledom can actually be quite an intense period for young people. 'They have multiple partners, so it's not couple relationships, of course, but it is sex friends, friends with benefits, one night stands ... these new types of relationships that are growing and becoming more important,' added Dr. Bergström. About 40 minutes from her office, small groups of friends enjoying a break in the July sun peppered the banks of Paris 's Canal Saint Martin. 'I think that we have a vision that is a lot less binary when it comes to 'the couple', where we're not just either single or in a couple,' said Brian, 24. 'Now there are plenty of options, even things that are not well-defined in terms of words – and who cares? You are the one who chooses the kind of relationship you want to have with someone." Dr. Bergström's research confirms that, although the couple remains the prevalent type of relationship among young people, the other kinds of relationships they are forming are diversifying. On top of that, despite having sex less frequently, young people seem to have had many more sexual partners than previous generations at that age, especially young women. According to Dr. Bergström's research, today, on average, 29 percent of French heterosexual women aged 25 to 29 have had more than 10 sexual partners. In 2006, it was only 8 percent. 'Before, the goal was to find someone and be with that person for a long time. For us, it's more like, if you find someone and want to be with them long term, you can, but if you feel like sleeping with three different people you can also do that instead,' said Flavie, 21. Her friend Rosalie, 22, sitting beside her, was quick to add: 'What we should look into is not if people are doing it less, it's if people are doing it better.' It's not about quantity, but quality Younger generations are tired of having sex for the sake of it, or because they feel like they have to, or because there is pressure. They want it to be an enjoyable experience. This was a recurring theme among the young people lounging along the canal. 'I don't think we are uninterested in sex. Rather, I think we're interested in sex that is done well. Moreover, I don't think our interest in sex should be judged based on the number of times we do it but rather on the quality of it, on the experience shared with another person,' said Brian. Sitting a few metres away, Willo, 27, said 'I really think that more and more women are realising that they don't need a man in their life, that if they feel like it they can date and if they don't feel like it they can also not date anyone – for however long they choose to.' The end of 'sex as a conjugal duty', the #MeToo movement, and the efforts made to bring consent to the forefront of debates around sex all contribute to women feeling more free to refuse sexual partners, according to studies by INED and IFOP. Or as Willo put it, 'They are retaking power over their relationships and their bodies.' The younger generation is leading the way in putting consent and pleasure first, according to many of the people we spoke to. Rosalie felt strongly about this: 'Before, the focus was maybe more on reproduction. Now, we talk a lot more about pleasure. We are less interested in a sexual act that is very focused on the chronology of foreplay and then penetration. Now it's a lot more diverse and I think that's great.' Changing practices require new questions So, if sex and relationships are changing, should the questions we ask about them also change? According to Marie Bergström, although surveys that give us a picture of the frequency of sexual relations are still useful, 'We need to find new ways to survey sex. We need to ask more about different types of relationships. We need to take into account the fact that sex today can be different than it used to be. And actually if you change the questions to capture these new realities, you will find that the intimate lives of 20-year-olds is quite intense and it's definitely very diverse. ' ENTR is a digital space for open discussion about what really matters, what holds us back and what connects us all. ENTR exists in 9 languages: English, Bulgarian, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese and Romanian.
The Star
24-07-2025
- General
- The Star
A preference for boys? Not anymore
While for centuries it was more socially desirable to give birth to a boy, this "tradition' is losing ground, or even reversing. This paradigm shift can be explained by recent advances in the fight for gender equality, but also (and paradoxically) by certain gender cliches that are still very much alive. In a society still very much centered around the male/female binary, an individual's gender identity remains paramount in people's minds, even before since the widespread use of ultrasound scans in the 1980s, parents have been able to find out from as early as the second trimester (and sometimes earlier) whether they are expecting a girl or a boy. According to research by The French National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), published in December 2023, nine in ten parents (91%) in France know the sex of their child before birth. They explain that this information can help them choose clothes and decorate their future offspring's while this curiosity may indeed be driven by practical considerations (material preparation, choice of name), it actually goes much further, and reflects strongly gendered cultural preferences. In the United States, this phenomenon is amplified by the rise of "gender reveal parties,' highly fashionable events specially organised (as the name suggests) to reveal the gender of an unborn child. During these parties, which can be extravagant, all kinds of scenarios are staged, which sometimes involve parents discovering their baby's sex at the same time as their guests. This could be, for example, by bursting balloons filled with blue confetti (for a boy) or pink confetti (for a girl). But such revelations are not always some parents, the party can even turn sour if the announced result doesn't meet their expectations. Different perceptions For in many cultures, and for centuries, raising a girl or a boy has not been perceived or valued in the same way. And, the scales have traditionally tipped in favour of to the INED survey cited above, around 46% of women and 41% of men in France admit to having had a gender preference during pregnancy: 25% of mothers hoped to have a girl and 20% a boy. The trend is reversed for fathers: 23% would have preferred a son and 18% a daughter. According to a YouGov poll released in 2023, 56% of Americans said they had no preference between a boy or a girl, while 19% preferred a boy and 15% a girl. A series of Gallup polls conducted in the US shows that between 1941 and 2018, an average of 40% of Americans would prefer a boy and 28% a gaps have narrowed over time. Today, the preference for male or female is most evident among parents who have multiple children and wish to have "one of each.' There are many reasons why having a baby boy might be more highly valued, based on ancestral patriarchal traditions and beliefs that are deeply rooted in societies. For example, it is traditionally believed (including in Western cultures) that it is men who carry on the family name, who are eligible to receive the family inheritance and who ensure the financial security of the in some countries where religious practices play a prominent role, certain rites and rituals are the sole preserve of men. Growing awareness However, this trend is now reversing for the first time. As early as 2019, an article in the New York Times noted this change. This is the case in Albania, South Korea, China, and India, where the gap between female and male births has narrowed considerably. Globally, the annual number of excess male births has fallen from a peak of 1.7 million in 2000 to around 200,000, bringing it back to the biological norm of a birth ratio of 105 boys to 100 girls, according to The gender stereotypes still persist: girls, for example, are still perceived as being "easier" to raise or better placed to care for elderly parents, which may partly explain this sudden "appeal' of the female sex. But this paradigm shift can also be explained by a growing awareness of gender issues. Some countries have implemented policy measures and are raising public awareness of this issue in order to reduce the gender imbalance at example, China has banned sex-selective abortions, and in 2015 the Indian government launched a major awareness campaign called "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter). For their part, researchers and essayists contribute to advancing the debate by analysing sociological trends through the lens of many areas of society, acts of violence are predominantly committed by men. Indeed, the picture is not always a flattering one when it comes to the male gender. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, men make up between 93% and 94% of the global prison are also less qualified than women. In rich countries, 54% of young women have a higher education degree, compared to 41% of young men, according to an OECD report published in 2023. Based on these statistics, raising girls may appear more reassuring than raising boys. On the whole, this shift can be perceived as a positive societal development, as it is based (at least in part) on beliefs directly conveyed by the fight for gender equality, in the wake of international campaigns such as the #MeToo movement. – AFP Relaxnews
Focus Malaysia
17-07-2025
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
SMI courts more CG controversy with re-appt of director who was ‘rejected' a month ago
PROPERTY developer South Malaysia Industries Bhd (SMI) which is facing backlash over shareholder rights and corporate governance (CG) practices is now embroiled in a controversy surrounding its e re-appointment of Latifah Abdul Latiff as the company's independent non-executive director (INED). This follows the company's 53rd annual general meeting (AGM) on June 25 whereby SMI had an unprecedented all four resolutions proposed by its current board of directors 'rejected and voted down', including that of Latifah's re-election, prompting her resignation on the same day. According to a Bursa Malaysia filing dated July 15, the 64-year-old former Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd senior vice president/business banking head was appointed to her old INED role which she failed to seek re-election effective that day. However, it was understood that proxies representing three major shareholders – Target 1 Sdn Bhd, Honsin Apparel Sdn Bhd and HIQ Media (M) Sdn Bhd – who collectively hold 50.05% of SMI's shares were unhappy with Latifah's re-appointment. After all, the trio had been instrumental in ensuring a decisive rejection of Latifah who had offered herself for re-election during last month's SMI AGM. For the record, the other three rejected resolutions included: The re-appointment of Messrs UHY Malaysia PLT as auditors of SMI until the conclusion of its next AGM; Approving directors' fees and benefits of up to RM350,000 to non-executive directors of the company and subsidiaries; and Authority to allot and issue shares in general pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016. Similar trend last year 'This incident mirrors a similar situation earlier on March 27, 2024 during which shareholders had rejected the re-election of executive director Leow Thang Fong who also resigned on the same day as the AGM following this rejection,' a market observer told FocusM on condition of anonymity. 'Yet, in a highly questionable move, the board re-appointed Leow as CEO barely a month later on May 1, 2024.' The market observer contended that Latifah's and Leow's re-appointments have raised serious questions about SMI's adherence to the fundamental CG principles and the board's respect for shareholder decisions. 'Such practices could significantly undermine shareholder confidence and damage the integrity of Malaysia's capital market,' he justified. 'Given the importance of maintaining strong CG standards and protecting shareholder interests, we believe that a scrutiny by the relevant market regulators – namely, Bursa Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) – into these developments is warranted.' At the close of today's (July 17) market trading, SMI was unchanged at 31 sen with no transaction done while its market capitalisation stood at RM65 mil. – July 17, 2025
France 24
10-07-2025
- General
- France 24
Baby bust: Why the French want fewer children – or none at all
From her teenage years, Bettina Zourli knew she would be the 'cool auntie' – but not a mother herself. It's a choice she recalls having to justify time and time again. 'People told me that I was bound to change my mind, that it was in the female nature to want children,' says the 31-year-old feminist writer and activist, whose Instagram account @jeneveuxpasdenfant ("I don't want children") has more than 65,000 followers. Zourli's views on the matter are increasingly common in a country that used to stand out from its European neighbours for its high birth rate, but has recently fallen in line. Last year, 12.2 percent of French people said they didn't want to have children, more than twice the number from 2005, according to a study released on Wednesday by national demography institute INED. The figure is even higher in the 18-29 age group, roughly equivalent to 'Gen Z', with 15% percent of men and 13.3 percent of women saying they do not want to be parents. The shifting numbers are the latest indicator of changing attitudes to parenthood and the steady erosion of France's so-called 'demographic exception'. 'Changing social norms' Zourli says it's often hard to pinpoint a particular reason for not wanting children. 'It's just the absence of desire,' she says. 'It's more of an innate thing. You can't explain why you don't want kids.' According to the INED study, neither gender, nor standard of living, nor professional category alone can explain why a growing number of people say they have no desire for children. It points instead to how 'attitudes and opinions' increasingly weigh in the balance. Watch more France's falling birth rate: To bébé or not to bébé? Didier Breton, a professor of demography at the University of Strasbourg and associate researcher at INED, cautions against reading the figures as evidence of a fading desire to have children. 'It's more a matter of changing social norms,' he says. 'Twenty years ago, it was less acceptable for people to say they didn't want children, particularly for women. Today, it's easier to express such a choice.' Breton points to several possible motives for not wanting children, including the physical transformations associated with pregnancy, a refusal to accept the constraints of parenthood, and a desire to preserve one's freedom and independence. 'It's about making life-defining choices, such as prioritising your career, travelling, or simply not reproducing the family model you've known,' he says. Gender inequality A 2021 survey of people who did not want children found that 86 percent cited the desire to devote themselves to 'private life, relationships, friends and travel'. In second place, 71 percent of respondents said they didn't identify with parenthood. The latter figure conceals a major gender gap, with 45 percent of women answering 'not at all' against 29 percent for men – a discrepancy that is even wider among people aged under 30. 'Gender inequality is a major factor in women's stance on whether or not they want children,' says French sociologist Charlotte Debest, whose book ' Elles vont finir seules avec leur chats' ("They will end up alone with their cats") will be published later this year. 'The unequal division of domestic labour makes it harder for women to see themselves as mothers,' Debest explains. 'Many women refuse to accept traditional models of the 'good mother' that persist to this day. Such models are out of step with the aspirations of many young women.' Concern about climate change and the future of the planet is another major factor. In the 2021 survey, 63 percent of respondents cited environmental protection as a reason not to have children. The high percentage reflects both growing ecological awareness and a tendency to seek an ethical motive for remaining childless, argues Debest. 'Using the ecological argument gives social legitimacy to people who choose not to have children,' she explains. 'Instead of just saying, 'I don't want children', it's a way to say you're giving up on children for their own good.' She adds: 'Of course, there are many childless people who are genuinely committed to environmental activism or concerned about the future of the planet.' The end of the three-child model Such concerns are fuelling a rapid drop in France's fertility rate, which slumped to 1.62 children per woman last year, down from 2.02 in 2010, hitting its lowest level since the end of the First World War. The steady decline in recent years has prompted President Emmanuel Macron to call for a 'demographic rearmament' of the nation with new reforms making it easier for people to have children – which are yet to come into law. According to the INED study, people who do want children are increasingly aiming for smaller families, largely because of economic constraints. Among women under 30, the desired number of children has fallen from an average of 2.5 in 2005 to 1.9 in 2024, the study found. 'The high cost of living coupled with job and housing instability mean many people feel they simply cannot afford another child,' says Debest. 'There is a new awareness of the cost of bringing up children.' Whereas 26 percent of French people said they wanted three children in 2005, the figure has now dropped to 15.5 percent. 'We are witnessing the erosion of the three-child family model, which was once highly valued in France,' says Breton, for whom the model is 'destined to disappear'. Zourli says she regularly receives Instagram messages from mothers wondering whether they should have a second child, and that many thank her for making them feel 'less guilty'. 'The societal pressure to have a nuclear family with a boy, a girl and their heterosexual parents remains strong,' she adds. 'But it's being questioned more and more.'
Malay Mail
22-06-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Congratulations… it's not a boy! How gender stereotypes are shifting as families embrace daughters
PARIS, June 23 — While for centuries it was more socially desirable to give birth to a boy, this 'tradition' is losing ground, or even reversing. This paradigm shift can be explained by recent advances in the fight for gender equality, but also (and paradoxically) by certain gender clichés that are still very much alive. In a society still very much centred around the male/female binary, an individual's gender identity remains paramount in people's minds, even before birth. Indeed, since the widespread use of ultrasound scans in the 1980s, parents have been able to find out from as early as the second trimester (and sometimes earlier) whether they are expecting a girl or a boy. According to research by The French National Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), published in December 2023, nine in ten parents (91 per cent) in France know the sex of their child before birth. They explain that this information can help them choose clothes and decorate their future offspring's bedroom. But while this curiosity may indeed be driven by practical considerations (material preparation, choice of name), it actually goes much further, and reflects strongly gendered cultural preferences. In the USA, this phenomenon is amplified by the rise of 'gender reveal parties,' highly fashionable events specially organised (as the name suggests) to reveal the gender of an unborn child. During these parties, which can be extravagant, all kinds of scenarios are staged, which sometimes involve parents discovering their baby's sex at the same time as their guests. This could be, for example, by bursting balloons filled with blue confetti (for a boy) or pink confetti (for a girl). But such revelations are not always insignificant. For some parents, the party can even turn sour if the announced result doesn't meet their expectations. For in many cultures, and for centuries, raising a girl or a boy has not been perceived or valued in the same way. And, the scales have traditionally tipped in favour of boys. According to the INED survey cited above, around 46 per cent of women and 41 per cent of men in France admit to having had a gender preference during pregnancy: 25 per cent of mothers hoped to have a girl and 20 per cent a boy. The trend is reversed for fathers: 23 per cent would have preferred a son and 18 per cent a daughter. According to a YouGov poll released in 2023, 56 per cent of Americans said they had no preference between a boy or a girl, while 19 per cent preferred a boy and 15 per cent a girl. A series of Gallup polls conducted in the US shows that between 1941 and 2018, an average of 40 per cent of Americans would prefer a boy and 28 per cent a girl. These gaps have narrowed over time. Today, the preference for male or female is most evident among parents who have multiple children and wish to have 'one of each.' Sex-selective terminations But it's a different story in some cultures, particularly in several Asian and Eastern European countries, where sex-selective abortion (voluntary termination of pregnancy due to disappointment with the sex of the unborn child) is practiced, despite bans. In these countries, the ratio of girls to boys born is very uneven. This is the case in India, where the birth ratio is estimated at 107 girls for every 100 boys in 2023, as well as in China (111 boys for every 100 girls in 2023), reports The Economist. This clear historical cultural preference for boys is also evident in other countries such as Vietnam, South Korea, Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. In addition to sex-selective abortions, there are also parents who try to conceive another child in the hope of obtaining the desired sex. Some countries, such as Cyprus and the United States, even allow sex selection before conception through IVF, via a process known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis. There are many reasons why having a baby boy might be more highly valued, based on ancestral patriarchal traditions and beliefs that are deeply rooted in societies. For example, it is traditionally believed (including in Western cultures) that it is men who carry on the family name, who are eligible to receive the family inheritance, and who ensure the financial security of the household. And in some countries where religious practices play a prominent role, certain rites and rituals are the sole preserve of men. Globally, the annual number of excess male births has fallen from a peak of 1.7 million in 2000 to around 200,000, bringing it back to the biological norm of a birth ratio of 105 boys to 100 girls, according to The Economist. — Aditya Romansa/Unsplash pic Shifting perceptions However, this trend is now reversing for the first time. As early as 2019, an article in the New York Times noted this change. This is the case in Albania, South Korea, China, and India, where the gap between female and male births has narrowed considerably. Globally, the annual number of excess male births has fallen from a peak of 1.7 million in 2000 to around 200,000, bringing it back to the biological norm of a birth ratio of 105 boys to 100 girls, according to The Economist. But gender stereotypes still persist: girls, for example, are still perceived as being 'easier' to raise or better placed to care for elderly parents, which may partly explain this sudden 'appeal' of the female sex. But this paradigm shift can also be explained by a growing awareness of gender issues. Some countries have implemented policy measures and are raising public awareness of this issue in order to reduce the gender imbalance at birth. For example, China has banned sex-selective abortions, and in 2015 the Indian government launched a major awareness campaign called 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter). For their part, researchers and essayists contribute to advancing the debate by analysing sociological trends through the lens of gender. In many areas of society, acts of violence are predominantly committed by men. Indeed, the picture is not always a flattering one when it comes to the male gender. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, men make up between 93 per cent and 94 per cent of the global prison population. Men are also less qualified than women. In rich countries, 54 per cent of young women have a higher education degree, compared to 41 per cent of young men, according to an OECD report published in 2023. Based on these statistics, raising girls may appear more reassuring than raising boys. On the whole, this shift can be perceived as a positive societal development, as it is based (at least in part) on beliefs directly conveyed by the fight for gender equality, in the wake of international campaigns such as the #MeToo movement. — ETX Studio
