CULTURAL TABOOS AND THEIR SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS ON DIVORCED WOMEN IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA
Keywords:
Anxiety, Depression, Divorced Woman, Discrimination, Overburden, Traditional TaboosAbstract
This study examines the impacts of Chinese cultural taboos that pose challenges to gender equality, with a specific focus on their differential effects on middle-class and poor divorced women within an increasingly modernized societal context. By analyzing how these deeply rooted cultural norms persist and operate, the research explores their role in perpetuating conservative attitudes toward gender roles, attitudes that often conflict with the progressive ideals of equality prevalent in advanced social settings.
The analysis delves into how class-based disparities shape women’s experiences of these taboos: middle-class women may face unique pressures tied to social reputation, family expectations, and economic resources, while poor women often contend with compounded vulnerabilities, including limited access to support systems and heightened economic dependence, which exacerbate the restrictive effects of cultural norms. By unpacking the intersecting dynamics of culture, class, and gender, this work aims to illuminate how these taboos influence social perceptions, individual agency, and efforts to advance gender equality, highlighting the divergent challenges faced by middle-class and poor women in navigating traditional constraints amid rapid societal development.
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